One Day
by DragonMaster000
Summary: Can you imagine a life where you only have a single day? Where no matter what you do, see, or feel, you know that when you close your eyes at night it will all be gone? This is the story of Spyro, the purple dragon who saved the world, and as a consequence he is doomed to this very life.
1. 1 - Signs

**It took much longer than it should have for me to clue in that something was wrong. I should have been able to notice that something was off about him right away. He's always been so focused and clear-headed in the time that I've known him. This...It should have been stupidly obvious.**

 **Maybe I didn't** _ **want**_ **there to be anything wrong, and that's why I didn't realize it sooner. I mean, hasn't he been through enough already? He saved the entire** _ **world**_ **, for the Ancestors' sakes! You'd think that they would have it in them to give him a break after that, but** _ **noooo**_ **. I guess they just have a habit of being cruel. I mean, I should know. But this?**

 **This is just so unfair...**

 **-~.~-*-~.~-**

The first thought that went through my head was, _Oh, great. I'm dead..._

I eventually realized that I was mistaken, though, and my bitterness slackened a bit. If I was dead, I wouldn't have expected to feel like some monster had me trapped in its teeth and was ripping me apart. Everything _hurt!_

It took a lot of fighting, but finally I got my eyes to open. Big mistake; light stabbed into them and I ended up swearing from the shot of pain that it sent through my eye sockets. It hurt to move my wing, but I eventually pulled it around so that I could shield my eyes with it. I opened them slowly this time, gritting my teeth against the pain I figured would follow.

It was manageable this time at least, but still it surprised me how bright it was around me. I was underground last I could remember, but apparently not anymore. The sky was completely clear too, which was a bit weird. It was all blocked up with ash before. The air did feel a _lot_ cleaner, though, and I couldn't really complain. It felt amazing to take in a full breath and not end up choking on dust and smoke.

Granted, every inch of me still felt like it was on fire. I looked down and saw that my scales were coloured just as much red as black. I was covered in cuts, and there were patches of mostly-dried blood that had formed around them. There were also bigger patches that were raw and stung like all hell—probably burns. Where was a red gem when you needed one, anyway?

My mind flashed back to the battle that had caused my current state, and I let out a growl. The hatred I felt for Malefor, my old 'master', was more than I could ever describe. I only wished that I could have dealt even half as many scars to him as he had left on me after that fight. He was just too tough, though. We did get a couple of good hits in on him, but honestly I was just surprised that we had even survived against him. At least he got what was coming to him in the end. I felt a flash of grim satisfaction when I remembered the shocked, panicked look on his face while he was dragged into that giant crystal, me and Spyro watchi—

Spyro! I almost slapped myself. How could I have forgotten?!

I jumped to my paws, but I almost collapsed again when a wave of pain hit me. I snarled to myself, refusing to give in to my own weakness, and eventually I won my struggle. Pushing my pain away while I focused on more important matters, I started looking around frantically. Where was he? Oh, please let him be alright. Please don't let him be...

As if in answer to my prayers, I heard a weak groan a ways away to my left. I spun toward the source and rushed over without a second thought. My injuries tripped me up and I cursed again, but I pushed on. No chance I was letting them stop me now.

And there he was. I almost passed out from sheer relief at the sight of him. He was just as badly battered as I was—maybe even more so, his normally vibrant purple scales covered in cuts, bruises, blood, burns and grime—but in that moment he was the most amazing sight I could have laid eyes on. He was stirring, too, trying to roll himself onto his stomach but looking too weak to manage it. I didn't even register this. I threw myself at him without shame, laughing and crying all at once.

"Spyro!" I exclaimed, latching onto him and barely noticing his startled grunt. "Thank the Ancestors! I was so afraid!"

"Cynder?" he gasped, and I looked to see him staring back at me with wide eyes. It looked like my enthusiasm had caught him off guard, but I couldn't have cared less in that moment and I kept holding on to him like my life depended on it. "What...what's going on?"

"You did it, Spyro!" I laughed. "You did it! We won! We're alive!"

He blinked, his eyes still wide, and with an obvious struggle he turned his head to look around at our surroundings. I looked too. It appeared we were on the summit of the volcano we had fallen into while fighting Malefor, and all around us was scorched rock and dust. In the distance I could see greenery, though. The Belt of Fire was gone, and rolling plains and forests stretched as far as I could see, except for the grey speck far to the south that must have been Warfang. It looked like it was several hours' flight away, at least. Well, could be worse.

My mind flashed back to the blinding flare of power that Spyro had released after our battle against the Dark Master while the world was breaking apart around us. It must have carried us out of that cavern, and it looked like it had done the trick to reverse the Destroyer's damage too. Everything was whole and pristine. It looked perfect!

He really fixed the whole world all on his own? Ancestors. This really was one amazing dragon!

My cheeks flushed, and it only got worse when I looked down to see that Spyro was staring back at me with a blush on his cheeks too. I released him quickly, clearing my throat. He averted his eyes, and I did the same as my earlier confession to him suddenly rang in my head. I found myself wondering if he heard me. Honestly, I was a bit afraid to find out.

"Um...How are you feeling?" I asked, looking for anything to break the silence.

"Tired," he groaned in response. I looked up to see him trying to push himself off the ground, only for his forelegs to give out. He sagged on the rough stone, scowling. "And sore."

I could feel worry coming back to me, clawing at my stomach. He really was in rough shape, and I didn't just mean his injuries. His breathing was shallow, and his scales—and even his eyes—were lustreless. He looked like he was hovering on the edge of death, and that thought terrified me. He needed a healer, badly, but we were the only ones out here.

I rose to my paws, grim determination filling me. If we couldn't count on outside help then it was up to me to get Spyro the care he needed.

"You sit tight," I told him. "I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" he asked quickly, and I couldn't help the smile that rose to my lips. I could tell from his voice that his fear wasn't of being left alone—well, mostly. It was worry for me. Whether or not he heard what I had said before we both blacked out, it was still obvious that he cared.

"I'm going to see if I can find any spirit gems to treat our wounds and get our strength back," I told him. "Hopefully there are some growing close by."

"Oh," he said, relaxing slightly. He still looked concerned, though. "Well...just be careful, alright?"

I was about to make some kind of sarcastic retort, but the look in his eyes stopped me. Instead I just smiled, and just then a small urge popped into my head. I acted on it before my courage deserted me, stepping up and nuzzling him quickly on the brow. I felt him stiffen, obviously surprised, but I didn't stick around to hear his reaction. While my cheeks started burning again, I hurried down the rocky slope.

I wasn't very effective for the first part of my search. My head was spinning with too many distracted thoughts, mostly to do with the purple dragon I had just left behind me. I was utterly amazed by what he had accomplished. It just seemed impossible when I really thought about it, but we were still here and I had him to thank for it. The whole world did.

My own actions gave me pause, though. Normally I wouldn't be caught dead being so open with my feelings, but over the past couple of days I had begun to realize that things were different with Spyro. He didn't look down on me with judgement the way I knew most people did. He was genuine, and he made me feel safe enough to be genuine with him in return. I could drop my armour. I could show him my true fears, and he wouldn't scoff or turn his nose up at me. He didn't have that kind of callousness in him. He truly was an amazing dragon.

I hoped he had heard me. I hoped he didn't mind my actions before leaving him back there, either. He probably wouldn't hold it against me even if he did, but still. Maybe he liked it?

Just at that moment I paused when I thought I heard something. I tensed, kicking myself when I remembered that I was in hostile territory. Malefor might be dead and gone, but that didn't mean his grublins weren't crawling all over this mountain trying to hunt down Spyro and I. I had to stay alert. A second later the sound came again, and I strained my ears to hear it.

"Cynder? Cynder!? Can you hear me?"

Spyro? What was he calling me for? He wasn't calling for help, so it didn't sound like he was in danger, but he still sounded panicked. Frantic, even. What had him so worked up?

I rushed back up the rugged mountain slope as quickly as I could, wincing from my injuries. I could still hear him calling me as I drew closer, and fear grew in my chest. By the time I was closing in on the spot where I left him he sounded absolutely desperate.

"Cynder!" I could hear him crying. "Please, answer me!"

"Spyro?" I called as I rounded a bend and he came into sight ahead. "What is it?"

His head snapped around toward my voice, and I faltered at the state he was in. He was trembling all over from agitation and from what looked like strain, and his breathing was ragged. Had he been trying to stand when he was this weak? And what had him so scared? I could see it plain as day in his wide eyes, deep and soul-crushing.

"Cynder," he gasped at the sight of me.

"Spyro, what's wrong?" I asked anxiously, moving up to him. "Did something ha—"

I was cut short when he suddenly grabbed on to me with his forepaws and dragged me into a fierce embrace, and I barely stopped myself from lashing out to fight him off out of pure instinct. I didn't know what to think as he buried his head against my shoulder, taking in a long, shuddering breath. He was still shaking all over. I had never seen him this distraught before!

What was going _on_?

"I thought you didn't make it," he said, his voice almost a whimper. "I thought you were gone. Oh, thank the Ancestors you're alright..."

"Spyro, what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to pull back far enough to look down at him but immediately finding myself dragged back against his chest. "An explanation would be nice!"

The sharp tone of my voice seemed to bring him back to his senses, and his heavy trembling stilled for a moment. He let go of me soon afterward, and when I took a step back I could see a fierce blush covering his face. I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," he said sheepishly, his voice still shaking slightly. "I...I just got so scared when I opened my eyes and saw I was all alone up here. I thought you had died when the world was breaking apart. I thought I couldn't save you..."

He trailed off, and I could only stare in bewilderment. What was that tone in his voice? Grief? Wait, forget that. He thought I had _died?_ But he was just talking to me! What would make him think that?

"Spyro...what are you talking about?" I repeated. "I can't have been gone for more than ten minutes. Remember? I said I was going to get some spirit gems."

He faltered, giving me a blank look, and for some reason something about that look really unnerved me. There was something very wrong with the shock that I could see in his eyes, in that look of utter confusion, but I had no clue what it meant.

"You did?" he said finally. "What...When?"

"You honestly don't remember?" I asked, tilting my head. "We woke up. The world was fixed. I hugged you..."

He blinked, and I realized that what I was saying meant nothing to him. He genuinely couldn't remember the conversation we'd just had minutes ago. It seemed impossible, but somehow it was just gone. I was more confused than I could ever remember being in my life.

I obviously wasn't the only one, either. Spyro's eyes drifted away, and his expression reminded me of someone who was lost. He squinted like he was trying to piece together a difficult puzzle, but through it all that look of complete bewilderment stayed with him.

"Why can't I remember that?" he asked faintly.

I picked up on a note of fear in his voice, and I sighed sympathetically. After a second of hesitation I awkwardly pulled a wing around his shoulder and squeezed it, drawing his eyes up to me.

"Maybe you're just tired from using all of that power," I told him. "Once we get some spirit gems into you you'll be good as new."

I mean, that made sense, didn't it?

Regardless, it seemed to help calm Spyro down. I gave a small smile when I felt him relaxing under my wing.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly. "You're probably right." He looked down at the wing I was holding him with, and he seemed a bit embarrassed by it. At least, that was what I could make of the way his cheeks flushed slightly. "Um...sorry about freaking out like that..."

I smiled again. He was surprisingly cute with that sheepish look on his face. He looked more like an innocent kid than the world's most powerful dragon, and there was something endearing about it all.

...Really, Cynder? There were kind of more important things to think about at the moment!

I shook my head, snapping myself back to the situation at hand. We were both still injured, and any more time our wounds spent untreated was time for them to become infected, or for some other creature to find us in this weakened state. Those spirit gems weren't going to find themselves. I was reluctant to leave, though, Spyro's panicked shouting still ringing in my mind.

"Are you okay now?" I asked him gently. "I need to keep looking for some gems."

"Yeah, sure," he said, nodding again. "I'm alright now. You're probably right. I'm just tired." He frowned, shifting. "And sore."

I hesitated, looking at Spyro closely. The repeated wording nagged at me for some reason. Even if this _was_ a momentary lapse caused by his weakened state, it still seemed a bit strange. I shook my head a second later, though. He still needed my help, and I wasn't doing a very good job of it so far.

"Okay. Well, just try and relax here," I told him. "I promise I'll be back soon."

He nodded one more time. "Thanks, Cynder."

I returned the nod, then headed down the rocks again. I took a long breath, trying to shake off the worries and questions that this encounter had left me with. He would be fine. He was just tired. It was a one-time thing and I really shouldn't worry about it.

And yet, a few minutes later I was searching a narrow trench in the mountainside when I heard another call. Just like before, when I made it back to the summit of the volcano I found Spyro in a state of panic. He came into view just in time for me to see him rising halfway to his paws, his legs shaking furiously. His strength gave out a second later, and he fell to the ground with a sharp cry.

"Spyro!" I shouted, jumping forward in alarm. "What are you doing?"

His head snapped around at my call, and I slid to a stop. That look of terror in his eyes was far too familiar. It was _exactly_ the same as the last time, and so was the rush of relief that followed it.

"Cynder," he gasped. "Oh, thank the Ancestors..."

"Spyro, what are you thinking?" I admonished, trying to hide how unnerved I was by the situation. "You shouldn't be trying to move in your—"

I cut myself short when, as I stepped closer, he lurched forward to grab me in another embrace. I caught him before he could, holding him by the shoulders far enough back so I could look into his eyes. He looked confused and a little hurt by my action, but his other emotions seemed to overwhelm it.

"I was afraid you didn't make it," he told me, a weak smile forming on his muzzle. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Though a part of me was still touched by his concern, this repeated scenario was starting to get to me. When I spoke there was a bit more of an edge in my voice than I had intended.

"Seriously, Spyro, is this some kind of joke? Because if it is it really isn't funny."

"What?" Spyro exclaimed, rearing back. "A joke? Why would I joke about this? I really was worried about you, Cynder! You mean a lot to me!"

He looked genuinely affronted by my question, even if he had misunderstood what I meant by it. My face softened, and my irritation was replaced by concern. He was serious. He had never been this good at acting in the time I'd known him, and even if he had been his sense of humour was an innocent one. This kind of joke would have been too edgy for him.

"Why would you ask me that?" he continued, and I winced at the look of hurt hidden in his eyes. I sighed.

"Look, Spyro. This is the second time you've done this."

His face went blank. "...What? What are you talking about?"

"You did the same thing before. About fifteen minutes ago we both woke up here and I left you to go find some spirit gems, but then I heard you in a panic because you didn't know where I was, and you couldn't remember me telling you what I was doing. Now it's the same thing all over again."

He stared at me for a long moment in silence, utter confusion filling his expression. I cringed. This was already just as awkward and difficult as last time.

"You're serious?" he said finally. "I really forgot?"

I could only nod.

"But what would make me do that?"

I shrugged helplessly. "I really don't know."

He looked away, his brow creasing, and I could see a look of fear in his eyes. Without really thinking about it I scooted closer and rested a paw on his shoulder.

"I'm sure it will pass," I said, trying my best to console him—wow, I really _hated_ seeing him upset! "For now, just promise me you'll try and relax and keep calm while I'm gone. We need to get back to the Guardians, and we can't do that until I find those gems."

He nodded once, but his voice was hesitant when he spoke. "I'll try."

I winced, his tone of apprehension clawing at my heart. "Okay...Now, I'll only be gone for a little while, alright? Nothing's going to happen to me, so you don't have to worry."

I could tell he was still scared, but even so a small smile appeared on his muzzle. I smiled in return, squeezing his shoulder one more time before leaving him once again. My smile faded quickly, though. Was this going to happen again? It seemed more and more likely, and I groaned. What was really causing this if it wasn't fatigue? Did Malefor do something to him during our fight? Curse him, somehow? If so, I really did need to get him to the Guardians as quickly as possible. Maybe there was something they could do to help.

The first several minutes of my search were silent, thankfully, but I still didn't spot any signs of spirit gems. I probably wasn't going to see anything from the ground, though. I needed to cover a bigger area. Gritting my teeth, I opened my wings and growled at the flare of pain that shot through me. There were a couple of tears in the membranes from the battle, and besides that the rest of my injuries stung at the new movement. This wasn't going to be fun.

I jumped off the ground and flapped, and right away my wounds blazed like they were on fire. The tears in my wings especially felt like someone was slowly ripping the membranes apart and pouring molten metal into the gaps. Damn, this really _hurt!_ I couldn't stop, though. I had to find those gems.

Then I heard it, and I froze. Spyro was calling me again, with that same fearful note in his voice. It sounded like he must have forgotten what I had told him again. Seriously, _what_ was going on with him?!

I hovered for a long time, undecided. Everything inside of me urged me to rush back to him, to comfort him. I mean, just listen to how he sounded! I couldn't leave him like that! But...if I just kept rushing back and forth, we would never get out of this place. I wouldn't have any time to search for spirit gems that way, and my strength wasn't going to last forever.

I felt absolutely rotten for it, but I turned away from Spyro's voice. It was like someone had driven a spear right through my heart, and with every flap of my wings I took further away from him I despised myself for it, feeling like I was betraying him. But I had no choice. I kept telling myself that. I had to.

Over the next few minutes I didn't spot anything, and I was becoming more and more frustrated, but then...there! I saw a flash of colour against the blackened mountainside, and without a second thought I dove toward it. My wings felt like they were going to rip to shreds when I reared back to slow my descent, but the warm glow of two healthy growths of red gems brought immediate relief when I touched down. There was a cluster of green behind them, too. Perfect!

I slashed at the first red gem cluster like an animal, absorbing the energy released from the pieces that broke off, and as my wounds closed over and my burns faded away I let out an enormous sigh. It felt _amazing_ to have the stinging pain lifted off my mind, and the warm energy flowing through me was almost intoxicating. I felt like a new dragoness!

After restoring my elemental energy from the green crystal, I started breaking off more pieces of the red gems with my claws. I couldn't carry much with me, but hopefully I could bring enough back to heal the wounds preventing Spyro from flying. Then we could return and he could restore the rest of his strength here.

Spyro...I wondered what kind of state he was in by this point. In all likelihood when I got back he would be furious at me for making him think something had happened to me. I sure would be if someone scared me that badly.

Bracing myself for the tirade I knew was coming, I gathered up as many pieces of red gem as I could and took to the air. This was going to be rough...

I found it a bit weird how quiet it was as I reached the top of the mountain. Both times before Spyro had been yelling and calling out in a frantic state around now, but the only sound I could hear was my own beating wings. I caught sight of him a second later, curled up in a ball on the rocks, not moving. This was...different.

When I came in to land with the gems held tightly against my chest I was almost afraid to disturb the quiet, but that was when I heard the muffled whimpering coming from Spyro's direction. I finally noticed that he wasn't as still as he had looked before, either; his back was shaking strangely.

Wait. Was he...crying?

I carefully set the gems down on the rocks and padded closer. No words came to me, and I could only stare down at him in confusion. He really was crying; there was no mistaking that now, and I just didn't know how to react. I had _never_ seen this from him before! Even when Ignitus sacrificed himself he hadn't cried. He had been very upset and distraught, of course, with every emotion from rage to heartbreak rushing through him, but there hadn't been tears. Everything was happening so fast at that point, I guess there just wasn't time for them. Now, obviously, it was a different case.

Was he crying over Ignitus now, or...

Could it...Could it be over me?

Was that even possible?

I cautiously reached out and touched his trembling shoulder with my paw. He must not have heard me land, because he flinched badly as soon as I made contact, his head whipping around. When he saw me his eyes went wider than I had ever seen before. It only lasted a second, though, and then an impossible mix of pain and unimaginable relief came over his face. He let out a rattling gasp, and I was frozen in shock when he rocked forward and grabbed on to me so tightly it felt like he was trying to crush the air out of my lungs. I could soon feel my chest scales becoming slick with his tears.

"You're alive," he choked, his words almost inaudible past his broken sobbing. "You're alive..."

I stared down at him for a long time, completely at a loss. What was I even supposed to do here? This was all totally foreign to me. Eventually I just couldn't bear the sound of his grief any longer, though, and I wrapped my forelegs and wings around him tightly, holding his head against my chest and resting my chin on top of his brow. To my surprise I felt a sting in my own eyes and blinked quickly to fight back the wetness building in them. Not now, Cynder. Get a hold of yourself. You don't cry. Spyro needed me to be strong here.

"I'm here," I whispered to him. "It's okay, Spyro. I'm right here."

He shook violently, another hoarse sob breaking out of his mouth, and I instinctively tightened my hold on him.

"I thought..." he gasped, but he couldn't seem to finish. "I thought you were..."

"I know. Just relax. I'm here."

He sagged in my wings like all of his strength had deserted him, still sobbing, and inside I was absolutely floored by what was happening. Beneath my sympathy and concern a part of me felt amazed by this turn of events. The thought of me dying was enough to bring him to _this_ kind of reaction? Really? Never in my life would I have even dreamed that something like this could be true. I was just a puppet, Malefor's monster. Nobody would ever care for me, I had always told myself. If I died, the only emotion anyone would ever feel was relief.

Obviously I couldn't have been more wrong.

I looked down at Spyro again, and my heart twisted painfully when I saw that he hadn't even begun to calm down yet. I did everything I could think of to comfort him, wrapping him up so completely in my wings that he almost disappeared from view and rubbing his back with my forepaws, but I couldn't tell if it was helping. All the while, I kept asking myself one thing: If Spyro could be brought to tears by the thought of my death, then did that mean...?

It was a ridiculous thing to be thinking about in those circumstances, but inside I couldn't really help it. I just wanted to know so badly, and this seemed like proof enough that he did care about me a _lot_ , but I still couldn't help wondering if these thoughts of mine weren't just some dumb fantasy.

It must have been several minutes before I felt Spyro calming down, his shaking getting fainter and his sobs turning into a quiet hiccupping sort of sound. He was almost completely still for another minute after that, and I was just starting to wonder if he had cried himself to sleep out of exhaustion. Just then he sniffed loudly, answering my question, and he sluggishly began straightening up and pulling away from me. He reached up to wipe at his eyes, and I offered as comforting a smile as I could. It wavered quickly, though.

He had that look again: that expression of disorientation from both times I told him about leaving to find the spirit gems.

"Sorry..." he muttered a second later, disengaging from my hold in a quick movement. He cleared his throat roughly and wiped his eyes with a paw. "I'm...not sure what came over me."

I didn't want to believe it, but his tone didn't seem to leave any room for doubt. I decided on a test, and I mentally braced myself.

"You were upset because you thought I had died?"

And there it was: that blank, surprised look. I winced. As hard as it was to believe, it had happened again right in front of me. Somehow he had forgotten what had literally just happened minutes ago without any explanation at all.

"I did?" he said, giving final confirmation to my fears. "But...why would I think that? You're right here."

"Yeah, but—"

I stopped myself. What was the use in even explaining it to him? It might just upset him again, but on top of that it seemed like he would just forget whatever I told him soon enough anyway.

"Never mind," I said, shaking my head quickly. My chest felt like it was caught in a vice, but I strove to keep my voice neutral. "Here. I brought these."

I stood up and walked back to the small pile of red gems I had gathered, and Spyro's eyes brightened a tiny bit at the sight of them, though he still looked very confused about what was going on. I picked up as many shards as I could, and when I dropped them beside Spyro the energy was absorbed into his body right away. He sighed as the worst of the gashes and burns on his body were healed, easing his pain.

"Thanks," he said, smiling genuinely, and despite the situation I couldn't help but give a small smile back. There was just something about that warm look in his eyes that always made me feel better, no matter what was going on.

"No problem," I answered. "Come on. There's more where I found those, and some green ones too."

"That does sound good," he nodded, pushing himself up to his paws. "When did you find spirit gems, anyway?"

I flinched again, but I didn't think he saw it. I tried to shake it off.

"Don't worry about it," I told him instead. "Just follow me."

He tilted his head questioningly, but I pretended not to notice. Instead I just focused on my wings, beating them down hard and taking to the sky, angling down the volcano. I heard Spyro follow me a second later, and there was no more conversation until we reached the gem clusters. Once there, Spyro eagerly descended ahead of me and broke off several pieces of red gem as soon as he landed. The rest of his wounds sealed over immediately, and he sighed again.

"That feels a lot better," he declared.

"Good," I said, smiling. "Now, hurry up and recharge your energy and we can get out of here."

He glanced quickly between me and the mana gem, hesitating strangely for a second. Then he complied, stepping over to the gem and breaking several pieces off of it.

We both frowned when nothing happened. There was no transfer of energy into Spyro's body, not even when he picked up one of the pieces in his paw. His eyes found mine, and for once I mirrored his look of confusion. I moved forward, grabbing one of the gem shards for myself. My confusion only grew when a small amount of power flowed into me, the gem's glow dimming. Why wasn't it working for him?

"Is your mana already full?" I asked him.

"It doesn't feel like it," he replied.

"Try using an element," I suggested.

He nodded, turning to face down the mountain slope. His lungs swelled, and he breathed out sharply like I had seen him do many times to conjure flames. To both of our surprise, nothing came out. No fire. No smoke. Not even hot air.

Well, this was definitely strange.

"I don't get it," Spyro muttered, looking down at the gem still in his paw.

"Maybe it's like when you lost your powers after our fight in Convexity," I offered.

It was the only explanation I could think of, and he seemed to consider it for a short while. Finally he nodded.

"I guess that makes sense."

He reluctantly put the gem shard down, looking disheartened. I could understand where this was coming from. From the times that I had run out of elemental energy I knew how it could make someone feel faint and weak—and not just physically. Still, this was probably just temporary, like his memory lapses.

I hoped.

On that subject, I noticed that Spyro was looking around with a lost expression on his face. Oh no...Again? I hesitated, but finally I cleared my throat softly to get his attention.

"You okay?"

He frowned, looking away. He seemed almost embarrassed to answer me.

"I'm just...not sure how we got here," he admitted slowly, and now I could definitely pick up on his embarrassed tone. "Was I unconscious, or...something?"

And again. I groaned quietly, running a forepaw across my face. Seriously, what was going on with him? _Why_ was this happening?! This was honestly starting to go past concerning me and was moving right into scary. Whatever was wrong with him, I just wanted it to stop. There was another part of me that was getting irritated, though. This was going to become a constant cycle, wasn't it? I wasn't sure how long my patience was going to last if it was.

It wasn't his fault, though. I had to remember that. If I got frustrated with him it would just make things worse. He was probably even more scared than I was, and I didn't want to add on to that.

I sighed heavily, trying to collect myself.

"Okay, Spyro. I need you to listen very carefully, alright?"

I could tell my tone was worrying him. He drew back uneasily. "What is it?"

"Look, I don't really know what's happening, but for some reason every time I tell you something, you forget it. No matter what I say, after a couple of minutes it's like it's just...gone. This has been happening since we both woke up over a half hour ago. You're probably even going to forget this conversation soon."

He balked, his eyes widening. "What? I'm forgetting things?"

I nodded, feeling my heart twisting at his look of alarm. "Yes. This is why I really need you to focus here, okay? We're going to head for Warfang to try and find the Guardians. Maybe they'll know what's going on and have some way of fixing it."

He wasn't handling this well. His breathing was picking up, getting faster and more erratic. He was clearly fighting to keep from panicking.

"You're really serious?" he stammered. "In a couple of minutes I'm just going to forget all of this? Everything? Are you sure?"

I nodded once, though it pained me to do so. The look in his eyes was tearing me apart inside. I couldn't bear seeing him so upset, but I had no idea how to help him.

"It's happened quite a few times already, so again, I really need you to focus on this. We're going to Warfang, and you're going to forget I told you that. I need you to try and just...hold on to that, somehow. Keep telling yourself that I said that or something. It's probably going to take us most of the day to get back to the city, and if I need to keep stopping and explaining things to you then it'll take us ages. Do you understand?"

He gulped, shifting anxiously, but a moment later he nodded. His voice was faint when he spoke.

"Okay. I'll...I'll try."

My face softened. Everything about him was so different than I was used to. Not that long ago he was focused, determined, strong. Now he looked like a lost hatchling, scared and confused. His confidence was completely gone. It was almost pathetic, but I couldn't feel any contempt for it. It only made me wish that much more that this wasn't happening to him.

I did the only thing I could think of. I padded up to him and pulled him into a hug with my wings, resting my forehead against his.

"It'll be okay," I told him softly. "We'll figure this out."

I felt him nod again, and when I pulled back I could see that he was trying his best to be strong. I couldn't even begin to imagine the fear he must have been feeling then, but just the thought of it chilled me to my core.

"Come on. We should get going."

He didn't answer me. He just followed silently when I took off, and as we flew I could see a look of tense focus on his face, his eyes distant and turned downward. I could picture him repeating what I had told him over and over in his mind, and I sighed quietly. How much of our conversation was already gone? How long would it be before he didn't know why he was telling himself the things he was? Internally, I braced myself for the inevitable questions.

I just hoped that when we did reach the city, the Guardians would know what to do...

* * *

 **(A/N): A new upload at last! I've been really looking forward to this!**

 **So, this was fun for me to do, and a nice change of pace. It might be apparent by this point, but I'm trying out a few different things in this story and trying to explore some slightly different writing styles. First obvious difference is the use of first person over my usual third, and I'm trying to focus a bit more on internal narration instead of exclusively on external descriptions. For this story I'm going to be using a slice-of-life style of format as well that will have far less in terms of action scenes compared to my Broken Line trilogy and be more relationship-focused instead. It's obviously not going to be perfect, but I'm eager to see what people think of it.**

 **Anyway, thank you very, very much to anyone who read this chapter, and if you feel inclined to leave a review I would be absolutely delighted if you did. :) Until next time...**


	2. 2 - Diagnosis

**This has to be some kind of sick joke.**

 **Permanent?** _ **This**_ **is the thanks he gets for the sacrifices he's made? After having the weight of the whole world thrown on his shoulders, he gets the rest of his life stolen away from him?**

 _ **Permanent?!**_

 **No! I refuse to believe that he has to spend the rest of his life this way. He deserves so much better! He deserves to be happy! How can anyone be happy living like this? It isn't fair!**

 **There** _ **has**_ **to be some way of fixing this!**

 **There has to be...**

 **Spyro, why did this have to happen to you? I just wish so badly that there was something I could do...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

As much as I hated to admit it, Sparx was right a surprising amount of the time. I'd always scoffed at him whenever he said that the Guardians were just a bunch of downers, but these meetings with them did often bring a pretty hefty gloom. This was no exception.

It was the morning after Spyro and I had reached the city. It was so late at night by the time we arrived at the gates that most of the citizens were asleep—which was probably a blessing, come to think of it. We had been directed to a large structure in the centre of the city called the Citadel, which turned out to be the offices and residence of the Guardians and the city's other officials. We were given rooms inside, but we only used one of them. Spyro had had another episode of panic soon after we had separated to go to sleep, with no idea where he was or how he had gotten there, and I had been forced to stay with him for the rest of the night to try and help him calm down. Sleep hadn't come easily for either of us.

I wasn't in the best mood that morning as a result.

"So, let me get this straight," Sparx said, hovering in front of Spyro's nose. Along with the three Guardians we were currently gathered in a large private study that was set aside for the Guardians' use. "You can't remember _anything_ that happened since the fight?"

Spyro just looked up at his brother blankly. He had spent the morning in a sort of confused daze, not even questioning what was happening around him anymore. He looked utterly lost, and there was an air of surrender around him. I absolutely hated seeing him like that. He felt _broken_. Where was the strong, confident dragon that we all knew?

"You don't even remember meeting each other earlier? The inseparable duo, the scourge of evil, finally back together, and it's just _gone?_ "

"I...I don't know," Spyro replied helplessly.

"What _can_ you tell us?" Cyril spoke up. "You at least recall who we are, so part of your memory must be intact. What do you remember?"

Spyro frowned thoughtfully, his eyes drifting off. "Well, I remember going through the burned lands after Ignitus got us to the Belt of Fire, and..."

He shuddered, and I felt a swell of sympathy as an image of Ignitus disappearing into the flames appeared in my mind. I had never felt particularly close to the Guardians, isolating myself from them for most of the time I spent at the swamp Temple—I mean, could I really be blamed for that?—but Ignitus had always been the one to make the most effort to check on my wellbeing, making sure I felt comfortable and safe. He cared for me. There was never a question about that. Aside from Spyro, he was the first one to ever show me anything other than hatred or suspicion. I was going to miss that.

I felt a sting in my eyes, and I quickly wiped them with my forepaw. I couldn't appear weak now. I still needed to be strong for Spyro.

The sound of him forcefully clearing his throat brought my attention back to the present. He sniffed, blinking back tears as he tried to resume his story.

"After...after he sacrificed himself to get us through the fire, I remember we fought through the burned lands to the volcano where Malefor was waiting for us. We fought him, and during the fight we fell into the volcano and ended up in a cavern with a huge purple crystal. Then it was like five...ghosts, or spirits, rose up and dragged Malefor right into the crystal. I don't really understand it..."

"You sure you didn't just breathe too many fumes in there, buddy boy?" Sparx quipped.

"Fascinating," Volteer said, leaning closer. "What next?"

"Well, the world was still breaking apart from the Destroyer. I didn't think there was anything left we could do, but then...I don't know. It was just like instinct. I felt that I could stop it, but I was afraid I wouldn't be strong enough to live through it. I told Cynder to get to safety, but she wouldn't leave. Then I heard..."

He trailed off, and his eyes turned toward me. I faltered, blinking in surprise when I saw the furtive, embarrassed look his eyes carried. Was it true? Had he really heard my confession to him? I wondered why he hadn't said anything about it, though. Then again, there were some bigger issues that took obvious precedence at the time...

Sparx glanced suspiciously between us, and it looked to me like he was getting impatient about the pause. He fluttered down in front of Spyro's face and waved.

"Helloooo?"

Spyro jumped, looking up at Sparx and blushing. He quickly averted his eyes.

"Go on, Spyro," Terrador prompted. "What next?"

"Um," Spyro fumbled, looking like he was having trouble picking up his train of thought. "I..."

"You had an idea on how to stop the world's destruction," Cyril offered.

"Oh, right. Uh...Well, I was just following my instincts, I guess. I felt this collection of power right in my core, and I just...let it out, and everything went white. Then...I was here." He paused, his brow creasing, and when he spoke again he sounded hesitant. "...Why were you asking?"

"Hmm," Terrador rumbled, looking over at the other Guardians. When his question went unanswered Spyro looked to me for help, but I couldn't speak up without interrupting the Guardians. All I could do was give him a thin, weak smile as Terrador spoke again. "Volteer, you appear to have a theory. Can you share it with us?"

"Ah, yes, of course," Volteer stammered. "Well, as you say, Terrador: It is only a theory. A vague hypothesis at best. But if I may make an assumption, would it be reasonable to infer that this release of power you performed to avert the planet's destruction had a significant toll on you?"

The question was directed at Spyro, and I saw him shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "It felt like my life was being sucked out of me..."

Volteer nodded with a drawn-out hum. "Well, the evidence so far seems to suggest that both the battle against Malefor—a terrible and powerful foe by any stretch of the imagination—and the strain of arresting the very disintegration of our world constituted a severe trauma. As I'm certain you are all aware, various forms of amnesia are often the mind's recourse to such emotional injury."

"Amnesia?" I repeated, raising up in surprise. "But he just showed us that he still has his past memories. He can't have amnesia."

"The common conception of amnesia, or more specifically, _retrograde_ amnesia, is just as you described. However, it is not the only type. Anterograde amnesia is an ailment that I have heard of in the past which can leave its victims in possession of their past memories without any noticeable degradation, but it inhibits the formation of new memories after the instance of trauma, as we can see exemplified in our young companion. Events cannot be imprinted in long-term memory, and are promptly forgotten."

"Wow," Sparx whistled. "That's...harsh. So, if I'm hearing you right—which is always questionable—no matter what happens from now on, it doesn't matter? He won't remember it?"

"Precisely."

"Huh." Sparx looked down at Spyro, and I didn't particularly like the way he was rubbing his chin with a calculating look on his face. "Hey, bro, hold on for a sec. I think you have something in your eye."

"What?" Spyro said, tilting his head.

Sparx leaned down closer, and I jolted when he suddenly shot a finger forward and jabbed Spyro right in his eye without warning.

I could only stare. Did he _really_ just do that?

"OW!" Spyro yelped, jerking pack and slapping a forepaw over his eye. "What was that for?!"

"Science."

"Was that really necessary?" I growled. Somehow I doubted that this action was really beneficial to Spyro at that moment.

"Hey, it seemed to be to the point," Sparx answered with a quiet snicker. Spyro glared up at him, still rubbing his eye.

"Anyway..." I groaned. I turned back to the Guardians. "That means that this is reversible, right? I mean, people with amnesia can get their memory back, can't they?"

Volteer's expression tensed, and I felt my heart drop.

"This is not an area in which I can boast any particular expertise," he said. "However, from the studies that I have happened to come across I have seen no indication of anterograde amnesia being curable. My fear is that this is something Spyro will carry for the rest of his life."

I was numb. He hadn't just said that. There was no way that he had basically written Spyro off as a lost cause. Did he mean to say that for the rest of his life Spyro would be stuck in a constant state of not knowing what was going on around him?

What kind of a life was that?!

No. No, this was wrong. This wasn't how things were supposed to be! This was supposed to be our chance to be happy, to _finally_ be at peace! Now the Guardians were saying that Spyro would never have that chance? I mean, how could anyone ever possibly be happy when they spent every waking minute feeling lost? I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

"So...that's it?" I asked quietly, my jaw tight. "You're just going to give up on him, just like that?"

"No one is giving up on anyone," Terrador replied, his tone infuriatingly calm. "I promise that we will do everything in our power to give Spyro the support he needs to live with this condition, but if Volteer is correct then really there is little we can do beyond making sure that he is comfortable and provided for."

"That's not good enough!" I snapped, startling even myself with the intensity. "There has to be some way that we can help him get better!"

"Cynder, please—" Cyril began.

"No! There _has_ to be more that we can do for him! After everything he did for us and for the entire _world_ , we are _not_ leaving him like this! He deserves better! He deserves to live a happy life after what he's been through! He deserves _peace_ , not spending the rest of his life confused and scared! He..."

I was completely furious at this point, so much so that I had run out of words to express it. I looked up at Spyro, and my heart turned painfully in my chest when I saw the wide-eyed, frightened look that he was giving me. I couldn't bear it anymore, and before I knew what I was doing I had risen to my paws and stormed out of the room, my whole body shaking. I stopped a few strides farther down the hallway, slumping against the wall and gripping my head with my forepaws.

I had never felt this way before in my life. The only way I could really describe it was loss, like someone I cared the world for had just died—which was absurd. Spyro was alive, after all, but that didn't make the feeling go away. My chest felt like someone was crushing it, and I could barely breathe. Tears stung at my eyes, and I furiously shook my head and tried to wipe them away. What good would they do anyway? When did an emotional breakdown help anyone? Get it together, Cynder! You need to be thinking of a way to fix Spyro's problem, not giving up like the Guardians have!

But how in the world was I supposed to fix something like this...?

I wished right then and there that I could just wake up and find that this entire ordeal had been a horrible nightmare. Why did this have to be real?

Something touched my shoulder and I jumped away by reflex, fangs bared at the new threat. I was surprised to see Terrador standing there looking down at me. He looked different somehow, and it took me a few seconds to really process what it was I was seeing. His expression was tense and creased with sadness. He had an aura about him that I would almost call defeat, but that didn't make sense. Terrador, defeated? Deep inside of me a flare of anger returned at this realization. So, he really had given up then.

"Tell me what's troubling you," he said, his voice almost comforting, but his question only fuelled my anger. Was he really that dense? I opened my mouth to shout some sort of insult at him, but what came out instead surprised me.

"It isn't fair," I gasped, my rage turning into despair no matter how much I fought it. A trickle of tears returned to my eyes, and I swore while wiping them roughly. "Why him? Why is he being punished for saving everyone?"

"Now, don't be upset," Terrador said to me, sounding like he was trying his hardest to sound reassuring. It came across more as awkwardness, honestly, and I wondered if he even knew how to give pep talks outside of the battlefield. "It is unfair, but during my training my mentors always told me, there are no winners in war. We all have scars that we have to carry moving forward. Spyro's scars are more cruel than most, but he is strong. He'll find a way to pull through this. You just need to have faith in him."

"How?" I demanded, feeling more hopeless than I ever had in my life. "How is he supposed to function when he can't even remember what he's doing from one minute to the next?"

"With our help," Terrador answered with a bluntness that surprised me. "He will not be able to do this alone. It will be up to us to support him through this challenge."

I spent a long moment staring up at the Guardian, trying to come to grips with everything that was happening. How could he sound so calm about this? Scars? He made it sound like this was something of no consequence, just like any old battle wound. Oh well, just deal with it. Really? Was that all he was going to say?

I let out a massive sigh, trying to let go of the anger that still filled me. This wasn't helping anything.

"What are we supposed to do?" I asked eventually.

"For now, do not worry about that. The other Guardians and I will determine what our next steps should be. We won't know how to best help Spyro until we are able to consult with someone with better expertise, so our first order of business will be finding such a person. For the time being you should focus on resting. You have been through an enormous trial, but it's over now. You are free to do what you want, so embrace that."

I mentally scoffed, but I said nothing as Terrador turned around and walked back to the study that we had just left. Free? As if. After the things I had done to the dragon race, what chance of freedom did I really have? Did he just expect me to skip merrily out into the city and take up civilian life? I didn't even have the first clue about what a normal life even _was_! Helping Spyro in war was the only thing that gave me any kind of purpose, but with him reduced to this...where did that leave me?

I looked back up, an image of Spyro holding onto me while he wept on that mountaintop flashing in my head. He had the Guardians to take care of him now, but...maybe my role of helping him wasn't over yet. The Guardians had a world to rebuild after the war, after all. There was no way they could dedicate all of their time to looking after Spyro. But I could. There was nothing else for me in the city, nowhere else that I could go. After everything that I had done, maybe by helping to look after the world's saviour I could find a chance at redemption.

Besides, I loved him. In spite of my inexperience with such feelings, I was sure of it. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving him in this state, alone and scared.

I wiped the lingering moisture out of my eyes, holding myself up straight with a new feeling of determination. I padded back to the study and looked in the door, spotting Terrador and Cyril discussing something in lowered voices while Volteer sat by Spyro, speaking to him with a reassuring smile on his face. There was a twinge in my heart when I looked at Spyro again, though, seeing him staring up at Volteer with a completely uncomprehending expression. He was absolutely clueless about what was going on, and I could tell just from looking at him that the fight had all but left his spirit.

Spyro and Volteer both looked up as I approached, Spyro's eyes flashing with a look of relief when he saw me. Volteer smiled again, nodding his head approvingly.

"I am glad that you returned, Cynder," he said. "I was just telling Spyro to rest assured that my colleagues and I will be seeking out the best, highest quality care available to assist him in adjusting to his new circumstances. No expense will be spared, no solution left unexplored. It is the least we can do after everything that he has given and sacrificed for our benefit, and I am confident that one way or another we will find a way to provide him with a healthy, comfortable life here."

I didn't really know how to answer. I just nodded, deciding it was better to just go with it. Volteer smiled again, then rose to his paws and headed over to join Terrador and Cyril in their conversation. Spyro stared after him blankly, clearly having no idea what his teacher had just been talking about.

"So, Spyro," Sparx piped up, hovering above Spyro's snout. "Just wondering: How's your eye feeling?"

Spyro tilted his head, frowning. "Well...it's kind of sore, actually." He looked down, obviously puzzled, and he reached up with a paw to wipe his eye. "Something must have gotten in it..."

Sparx's arms fell to his sides, staring at his brother in slack-jawed amazement before turning toward me with a look that said, 'Is this for real?' I stifled a sigh, feeling some of my earlier helplessness coming back to me. Somehow it seemed like Spyro heard me anyway, because he quickly turned toward me.

"Cynder? Is something wrong?"

I looked up to meet his eyes, and what I saw was a picture of innocence and selfless concern that, for just a fleeting second, looked like the old him, the hero that had saved me and risked everything for the world's survival. I sighed again, my head falling when I couldn't hold his gaze any longer.

"Hey," he said gently, and I jumped when I felt something brush against me. I looked down quickly to see that he had placed a wing across my back, squeezing slightly in a comforting manner. "Don't worry. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out. I promise."

I stared at him in stunned silence, feeling my eyes widen. Now it was my turn to question if this was reality. _He_ was trying to reassure _me?_ How could he even say that in a time like this? What surprised me most of all, though, was the fact that I could tell he meant it. He truly believed that we could get through this and find a solution, even if he didn't know what the problem was in the first place. I simply couldn't believe it, and I glanced up at Sparx only to see him shrug.

Spyro smiled, and in that smile I saw the spark of confidence that had been missing ever since we woke up on the summit of the volcano. For just a second, I saw Spyro in the fullness of his earlier self: caring, dedicated, assured. The hero that had saved me from corruption was still in there. He was still with me.

I couldn't help it. I smiled back, feeling some of my fears dissolve. Maybe we _could_ do this. Maybe we could find a way.

Together.

* * *

 **Dear Ancestors, this is a lot harder than I was expecting.**

 **It's been a month since we got back to the city. Just one month, but it feels like a year. I swear I'm trying my best to help Spyro out, but I had no idea it was going to be this exhausting! Literally every minute of every freaking day, it's just questions, questions, questions.**

 **I don't even know why I bother answering sometimes, honestly. One time he was actually aware enough to ask me why he couldn't remember getting back to Warfang. By the time I finished explaining how we got back and what the Guardians said was happening to him, he didn't even know what I was talking about. He had actually forgotten his own question in the time it took me to answer it!**

 **Just...I don't know how I'm supposed to do this. I'm supposed to be helping him cope. I** _ **want**_ **to help him! I have no idea how I'm supposed to do that, though. He feels confused** _ **all the time**_ **, and there's nothing I can do to fix that. I can comfort him when he gets scared, but that's it! The rest of the time I'm nothing more than his hatchling-sitter, making sure he doesn't get lost somewhere...**

 **The Guardians say there's still hope. They say we can still give Spyro a happy life, but I say they're full of crap. Spyro isn't happy. I don't know how anyone could be, living in his situation.**

 **Still...there are still moments when I see him smile. Even laugh, sometimes. And every time I see it, it makes me work even harder to see it again...**

 **Ancestors, I'm so tired. I'm going to wear myself to death at this rate, I swear.**

 **But as long as I get one more smile out of him...maybe it's worth it.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

It was a late summer day. The sun was out. The sky was clear. People were crowding the streets, with dragons, moles, cheetahs, and every other creature I could think of going this way and that; talking, joking, smiling and playing. It was as if the world itself was trying to tell me to lighten up.

I wasn't feeling it. I was drained. The past month had been like a giant, nonstop marathon. Sleep was scarce. Time alone to rest was non-existent. At all times I was stuck to Spyro's side, guiding him around the city, watching him, caring for him, talking with him. I _wanted_ to do it—there was nothing in the world I wanted more than to help Spyro in any way I possibly could—but it was taking so much out of me that I didn't know how long I could keep it up for. I must have answered the same questions hundreds of times, and the worst part was knowing that it wasn't going to stop. There was no end in sight. Anything I said one minute was gone a minute later. Nothing stuck.

And of course, the people around us didn't help in any way either.

I didn't know which was worse: the fatigue of looking after Spyro at all hours of the day, or the suspicious looks and the accusations and the muttering behind my back. It didn't matter that I was one of the two dragons that put an end to Malefor's genocide. I was the Terror of the Skies, and if the people of Warfang were to be believed then if I wasn't leeching off of Spyro's fame and good graces to escape persecution for my crimes, I was using him as a hostage to secure a position of privilege for myself from the Guardians. A lot of people seemed to think that _I_ had caused Spyro's amnesia and me being close to him only caused it to persist, as if I was some secret master of black magic. More than once demands had been sent to the Guardians to throw me out of the city so that Spyro would have a chance of returning to normal.

As confused as Spyro was, there was no denying his pure heart and his loyalty, though. Any time he heard even the slightest whisper against me, he was ready to speak up in my defence. One benefit of his condition was that it was impossible for anyone to convince him that I wasn't worth his care and protection. He remembered me as the dragoness that wouldn't leave his side as the world was breaking apart. End of story.

A dark part of me sometimes considered that it would be so, _so_ easy to take advantage of that. I could do _anything_ , and Spyro would still stand up for me afterward.

I felt sick whenever I had those thoughts. Nothing could ever drive me to betray the best thing I had in my life. I was incapable of doing anything to hurt him.

"Hey, Cynder? Um...Where are we?"

I groaned. Sometimes, I really wanted to hurt him.

"We're in Guardian Park," I told him, for at least the twentieth time that afternoon. "Dedicated to Ignitus. See? There's his memorial right over there."

His eyes followed my pointed talon, locking onto the life-like bronze statue of the late Fire Guardian, and for a few seconds he just sat there with that oh-so-common blank look on his face. After that he looked around at the park we were standing in, his gaze taking in the cobbled pathways, the gardens, the trees, the ponds, and of course all of the people. It was quite crowded today, probably because of the weather. We were currently sitting off to the side of the walkway under a tree to get a breather from said crowd as we made our way through the park. We'd been sitting there for about ten minutes now, just trying to catch a moment of peace.

But of course, Spyro didn't know that.

"Oh," he said finally. "So—"

"Just try and relax, Spyro," I interrupted, trying to pre-empt any more questions. "There's nowhere we need to be right now. No grublins to fight. No people to save. Just us and a whole lot of free time, so how about we just rest here and enjoy a bit of quiet, hmm?"

I emphasized my point by lying down on my stomach and setting my head on my forepaws, closing my eyes with a quiet snort. I could tell Spyro was looking at me with that confused expression that I had seen so many times by now that it was like it was burned into my brain, but he mercifully didn't say anything else. Eventually I heard him lie down beside me, and after that the only sounds around us were the afternoon breeze, birds, and many different voices layered on top of each other. I tried to soak it in. It was so different from the constant fighting, plotting and interrogating that I had known my entire life, and I found that I very much enjoyed these quiet pauses.

"Cynder? Where are we?"

My teeth ground together. "Oh, for the love of the Ancestors..."

I lifted my head to glare at Spyro, but a glowing yellow speck behind him caught my eye. I looked up to see Sparx heading our way, zipping around the heads of the many pedestrians as he approached. I let out a relieved sigh—shocking as it was, I was actually glad to see him.

"Finally!" Sparx gasped, bending over and panting heavily when he reached us. "I've been looking for you guys all over the place! News flash: This city is HUGE!"

I scoffed with amusement, shaking my head discreetly.

"What is it, Sparx? Having trouble getting the citizens to recognize your status as a deity again?"

"Har har," Sparx retorted flatly. "No, actually. The Guardians sent me to find you guys. A couple of people just showed up at the Citadel, and apparently it's a big deal that you two head over there pronto."

This news caught me by surprise. Visitors at the Citadel, and important enough to make the Guardians send for Spyro and I just like that? I wondered what it could be about, and my curiosity overpowered my earlier fatigue and irritation.

"Okay," I nodded. "Come on, Spyro. Let's go."

He just nodded, looking between me and Sparx with a confused expression. Sparx started leading the way back through the park toward the city centre, and I followed with Spyro right behind me. There was a heavy silence following us as we walked, Sparx focused on navigating us through the crowded paths, me wondering what in the world the Guardians would call us for so suddenly, and Spyro too lost to find words. Eventually we left the park and stepped out into one of Warfang's main streets, which was also busy at this time of day but was wide enough that moving was considerably easier.

"Should we fly?" I asked Sparx, since we still had a fair way to go to reach the Citadel.

"You go right ahead if you want," Sparx answered, giving me a weird mix between a laugh and a wheeze. "I'm still catching my breath here, so I'm in no rush."

I was quiet for a second, debating what I wanted to do. Well, it _was_ a nice day out. I supposed it wouldn't hurt to take our time.

I started walking, the two boys following after me. Or at least Sparx did. I didn't realize that Spyro wasn't moving until he called out to us.

"Where are we going?" he said, and when I looked back at him I saw him a few metres back, staring at us with an expression that basically screamed 'baffled'.

I tensed, but Sparx came to my rescue once again.

"The Citadel," he said in a much calmer voice than I would have used at this point. "The Guardians want to talk to you."

Though obviously confused, the mention of the Guardians was enough to get Spyro moving. He rushed to catch up to me and Sparx.

"How come?"

I saw Sparx shoot me a crooked grin out of the corner of my eye, and right away I got a bad feeling about where this was going. Given that I was already in a bad mood, I was sorely tempted to just swat him away with my tail before he could open his mouth again.

I was too late.

"You might not know this, buddy, but you've made quite an impression with all the big wigs in the Citadel," Sparx said with a proud tone. "You saved the world! You're like a symbol of peace and freedom to the whole Dragon Realms, and they want to recognize that. Big guy, they're making you the king of Warfang!"

Spyro's eyes went so wide I thought they were going to pop right out of his head. Meanwhile, mine rolled so far that I was surprised they stayed facing the right way. Spyro didn't seem to notice the exasperated growl that I let out, staring at his brother in disbelief.

"What?" he exclaimed, but then he grew suspicious. "...No they're not."

"Yeah they are!" Sparx insisted eagerly. "I'm serious, bro! I mean, come on. You're already the most powerful dragon alive. They're just going to make it official. Think about it! The whole city in the palm of your hand—err, paw! They're going to set you up in a big, fancy mansion with butlers, and chefs, and your own indoor pool. You'll have gold and gems, and all the girls you could ever want! And the best part is—"

That was it. I couldn't stand to listen to one more word. I turned a glare on Sparx that had sent many an ape fleeing for their lives once upon a time. The goofy smile immediately dropped from his face, and he gulped.

"Sparx, seriously. Do you have to do that?"

"Aw, come on," he protested with a nervous laugh. "I'm just playing with the guy!"

"Well, don't. It's not helping anything."

Sparx's expression turned to one of annoyance. He huffed and faced forward again, crossing his arms and scowling at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Sheesh. What's got your tail all bunched up?"

My eyes flashed with anger, my claws tightening on the street hard enough to chip it. My voice was a growl when I spoke.

"You know very well what. Annoying little insects with no sense of maturity, for one thing!"

"Hey, guys!" Spyro interrupted, sounding anxious. "There's no reason to be fighting."

I looked back at him for a second, taking in the worried expression on his face. I sighed when I turned away again, my jaws clenched.

"Whatever."

I was going to lose it. I was so, _so_ going to lose it...

The walk after that wasn't a particularly pleasant one. A voice in the back of my head told me that I was being unreasonably harsh to both Spyro and Sparx, but I couldn't help it. I was tired, I was cranky, and I was at the end of my rope. No, scratch that—I was past the end of my rope, left trying desperately to hang on to the last frayed threads trailing off of it. It felt like every couple of steps Spyro would call out with another question, and my patience was draining fast. Where are we? What's going on? What's the Citadel? Why are we going there? They just kept coming! Nonstop, relentless, just like they had been for thirty two straight days. I just knew I was going to snap at any moment.

I was right.

"Cynder? Where are we going?"

"Oh, dear _Ancestors_!" I almost screamed. "Give it a rest! Are you incapable of going for five damned _minutes_ without asking a question? It just never ends! Every waking second it's the same things over and over and _over_! I am so _DONE_!"

Spyro reeled back, looking terrified by the way I was suddenly shouting at him. I didn't notice. I was so completely fed up that it was the only thing I could focus on, and nothing else got through. I could feel myself shaking, and all I wanted to do was blast something with a fear screech until nothing was left behind.

"Is it really that hard to just go with things instead of questioning every single Ancestors-damned thing around you? Use your freaking brain for a second! If you can't remember how you got to where you are, maybe there's a reason for that! Maybe it's a hint that any question you ask me is pointless! All of this is! Every minute I waste repeating the same answers over and over again is completely pointless! I can't take it anymore! Why can't you just _stop_?!"

He actually had the presence of mind to look offended. His eyes narrowed into a glare, and his claws tightened on the ground.

"Well, excuse me for being so clueless," he snapped bitterly. "Sure, I'll just take it in stride that I feel like I just woke up from a dream in the middle of some completely unfamiliar place, going who-knows-where for some reason that I have no idea of. It's not like I'm completely freaked out by not knowing how I even got here or anything! No, I'm just trying to get on your nerves as much as I can!"

Wow. I must have hit a bigger nerve than I thought, because in the time I'd known him I had _never_ heard Spyro take that kind of tone with anyone!

That's what a very small, unconscious part of me was thinking at any rate, but worked up like I was his retort only enraged me further. It took everything I had in me not to attack him; I was literally that angry. After the mind-numbing torture I'd gone through to take care of him, _that_ was the kind of thanks I got?

"And here we go with the self-pity," I moaned, throwing my wings up in the air in complete and total exasperation. "Do you even realize how absolutely exhausting it is to hear you playing the victim for everything that goes wrong? I have literally done nothing but try and comfort you for an entire month, and I am so sick and tired of it! If I have to tell you that everything is okay one more time, I am going to vomit!"

"Hey, ease off!" Sparx protested indignantly. "What's wrong with you? You know he's not doing this on purpose, so where do you get off biting his head off like this?"

"I don't want to hear it, Sparx! It's easy for you to act all high and mighty here when I'm the one that's been doing all the work!"

"Excuse me?"

"That's right! He's _your_ brother, but who's the one that has him glued to their side every minute of every day? You get to disappear whenever you want to and relax in the peace and quiet that _we_ bled for, but do _I_ ever get a break? No! Because if I'm gone for even a few seconds, he goes flying into a complete panic! 'Where's Cynder? Why isn't she here? What happened to her? Someone tell me!'"

I turned on Spyro again, who had already switched back to looking alarmed. I never thought I could feel resentment toward the dragon that had saved me from a life of murder and destruction, but right now it was blazing inside me like an inferno.

"It's completely ridiculous!" I shouted at him. "Do you have any idea how sad that even is? What are you, two weeks old? I'm not your damned _mother_ , Spyro! Seriously, you should be able to function for a few minutes without me constantly holding your paw! Is that really too much to ask?"

I bit back a snarl, turning around and pacing back and forth in the street. I was so angry and frustrated, I felt like I could explode. In the back of my mind I knew that I was causing a scene, and that everyone around us was staring at me. I could imagine the kinds of things they were whispering to each other, but I didn't care. I would love to see one of them try and deal with the burden I had thrown on my shoulders. There was no way one dragoness could deal with these kinds of demands non-stop! It was insane!

A small voice spoke up behind me.

"Cynder?"

" _WHAT?!_ " I shrieked, rounding on Spyro in an instant.

I faltered when I finally registered the terrified look in his eyes. It struck me right to my core. Then he opened his mouth and made it a thousand times worse.

"...Why are we fighting?"

A slap to the face wouldn't even begin to compare to the absolute shock that those four little words caused. All of my anger vanished in the blink of an eye, completely smothered by that painfully innocent question. He was looking at me with wide eyes, and in them I could see so many clashing emotions. Confusion. Hurt. Sadness. Fear. It was all mixed together into a look that tore right through me. The last time I had seen him looking this terrified of me was back before he had freed me. All at once guilt slammed down on top of me with the weight of a mountain.

What had I done?

I backed up, panic flooding through me until I felt like I was drowning in it.

"Sparx," I gasped. I thought I heard my voice rattling, and that was when I realized that I was shaking again. "You take him. I...I can't...I just..."

I looked at Spyro again, and that was the worst mistake of my life. His pleading eyes burned into me, fueling my guilt. It was like they were labelling me as a monster, and I just couldn't bear it. I had to get away. I couldn't face him. I ran.

It only took me five minutes to leave the city behind me, flying as fast as my wings could carry me. I could have stopped when I was past the wall, but I didn't. I just kept flying farther and farther, and by the time I slowed down and looked around me I almost didn't recognize the area. Warfang stood far in the distance behind me, and there wasn't a single dragon anywhere in sight.

Well, that suited me just fine.

I landed roughly, and as soon as my paws hit the ground I reared my head back and screamed. It was so loud that my throat was made raw in seconds, but I didn't stop until I ran out of breath. Then I screamed again, and when that wasn't enough to vent my anger I gathered up all the air I could manage and released it in a vicious blast of wind at the first tree I saw. Branches and bark were ripped off by the hurricane-force gust, the whole thing bending and creaking. When the wind stopped all that was left was a mangled and twisted mess of a trunk, threatening to topple over at any moment.

I stood there panting for a moment, clenching my teeth and talons while I fought the lump growing in my throat. I was trembling with fury, but this time my anger was directed at myself, fuelled by shame. I had never felt this completely rotten in my life.

The guilt that was gnawing at me was almost worse than what I felt whenever I was reminded of my past as the Terror of the Skies. How could I have been so cruel to him? I just blew up at a dragon that didn't even know why I was angry with him in the first place. And why _was_ I mad at him? For something that he had absolutely no control over anyway!

Was that really the kind of behaviour I had been reduced to? Thinking of Spyro as nothing more than a burden? After everything he had given me, now when he was the one that needed help I could only think about how much it inconvenienced me.

I scoffed with bitterness at myself. Way to show you care about him, Cynder...

His confused, hurt expression kept flashing in my mind, and I flopped onto the ground and buried my head under my paws when I couldn't take it any longer. I didn't know how long I stayed like that exactly, but it felt like a good while. I couldn't bring myself to go back. There was absolutely no excuse for the way I had acted, and now I desperately wanted to find some way to make it up to him.

How was I supposed to face him, though? Spyro wouldn't remember a thing, obviously, but Sparx would. Everybody at the Citadel probably knew about it by now. Hell, it was probably the hottest gossip in the city already, just more evidence to the people that I was no good for Spyro and he would be better off if I was gone.

Maybe they were right...

I jerked up immediately at that thought. _No!_ They didn't know a thing! Wouldn't they just love to get rid of me that easily, but as if they could do half as good a job of caring for Spyro as I had! I had spent so much time already calming him and comforting him, making him feel safe. No one else knew him well enough to even come close. _I_ was the one that had been through hell on earth with him. _I_ was the one that had seen him at his weakest and his lowest, and stayed by his side regardless. _I_ was the one he trusted!

And now what was I doing? Moping out in the woods, miles away from him, pitying myself and my own stupid actions when I could be there trying to redeem myself for it.

Come on, Cynder. You're better than this.

Berating myself the whole way for being so stupid, I took off again and flew back toward the city. Before long I was closing in on the Citadel and dove toward the front entrance. Knowing that I was seriously late for whatever meeting the Guardians had originally called me and Spyro for, I began jogging as I entered the halls. This ended up being a mistake: As soon as I turned a corner I ran face first into what felt like a brick wall, someone letting out a startled grunt above me.

"Oh, Cynder!" came Volteer's familiar voice. "There you are. I was just now venturing out in an attempt to locate you. We expected you to arrive almost a half hour ago with Spyro. Where have you been?"

I shook the stars out of my vision and frowned up at him. "Hasn't Sparx told everyone the whole story yet?"

Volteer's face clouded, basically answering my question. Of course, being Volteer, it was never that easy.

"He did offer a very basic explanation, but beyond that he was quite sparse on details. He stated that there had been an 'incident' on your way here, and that afterward you departed. I can only guess what this incident was, that it would cause you to disappear in such a fashion. Certainly no one was expecting you to be absent for this long."

"Yeah, well..." I sighed, feeling a sting of guilt returning. "I just had a...moment, and I needed to get my head back on straight. It doesn't really matter. I'm here now, so where is everyone else?"

Volteer opened his mouth to press me for more information, but it seemed he decided that it wasn't actually worth it in the end. He made a sort of relenting grunt and shook his head.

"Everyone is gathered in the lounge. This way."

I followed Volteer as he led me through the Citadel's hallways until we reached a room that resembled a large study. The place was filled with shelves all loaded down with books and scrolls, and there were enough cushions scattered around the place to allow several dragons to sit comfortably in the room at once. At that moment there were six dragons present: The Guardians, me, Spyro, and a light red dragoness that I had never seen before. There was also Sparx, of course, and a mole that I didn't recognize standing with the dragoness.

My courage wavered when I looked toward Spyro again. He and Sparx were talking to each other, but while Spyro looked calm I could see the tension in his body and the way he kept shuffling his paws. Both of their backs were turned to me, so I didn't think they had noticed me enter yet, but I still caught glimpses of Spyro's face in profile and saw that his expression was subdued. He had retreated inward on himself like I had seen him do several times in the last month, and while he wouldn't remember our fight by this point it was clearly still affecting him anyway.

Sighing to myself, I kicked myself into motion and walked up behind the two brothers.

"Spyro?"

He looked back quickly, and surprise appeared in his eyes when he spotted me there.

"Cynder," he answered simply.

"Listen. I owe you an apology."

He cocked his head to the side. "You do?"

Oh, come on. Why did he have to look so innocent? Would it just upset him to tell him about an argument that he didn't remember anymore? I didn't want to do that to him...

No, I was committed now. I had to go on. I nodded in reply to his question.

"I said some...pretty cruel things to you earlier. I was stressed, and upset, but it wasn't fair of me to take my anger out on you like I did. I'm really sorry."

He just stared at me with a bewildered expression for a few seconds after that, and each moment that passed without an answer left me worrying about what his response might be. My fears were put to rest, though, because just then he put on a small smile.

"Well, I don't really know what you're talking about, so...Don't worry about it. It's already forgotten."

I couldn't help but snort at that, a smile appearing on my face too. Clever, Spyro. Very clever. He may be clueless about what I was apologizing for, but it was comforting to see that he was able to joke about his situation. I could feel my earlier anxiety fading, and with a relieved sigh I leaned forward and nuzzled Spyro under the chin. He looked surprised by the action but didn't pull away, and this made me smile wider.

Sparx suddenly cleared his throat, and I opened my eyes to see him watching me with his arms crossed. I groaned and rolled my eyes. I should have been expecting this, honestly.

"And I'm sorry for snapping at you too, Sparx," I said with a touch of sarcasm. "Can you ever forgive me?"

He scowled and opened his mouth to retort, but then Spyro gave him an expectant look and he just groaned.

"Yeah, okay. We're cool. Just don't go after my bro like that again, got it?"

My bearing turned serious, and I nodded. "I won't."

Sparx nodded back, looking satisfied.

It was at that moment that I heard someone approaching behind me. I looked up and saw Terrador coming to a stop nearby, and I noticed the serious look on his face as he looked down at me, towering overhead. Even though I considered Terrador a close acquaintance and trusted him, I always felt intimidated beside him. It felt strange to me, considering that in the past it was completely the opposite.

"Cynder, would you come here a moment?" he asked me, nodding his head toward the other Guardians and the two strangers. "There is someone you need to meet."

I frowned at him curiously, but I nodded and stood up. Before turning away I noticed Spyro giving me a puzzled look, and I quickly smiled at him and nuzzled him again. I felt him relax, and after that I felt confident that he would be fine with Sparx. I followed Terrador as he crossed the room, and we came to a stop in front of the unknown dragoness and mole.

The mole smiled when he saw me, and just the sight of it had a strangely disarming effect on me. The smile gave an impression of someone who was warm and considerate. If anything it made me a bit suspicious of him, as if he was putting on a mask to _try_ and make others like him. Of course I had nothing to back up this feeling, and so I tried to hold my judgement—it was probably just me being paranoid. He also had an odd build to him, I noticed. Most moles were very short and rather round, but this one was thin and a bit taller than usual. When he spoke, his voice had a high pitch to it that was odd, but not irritating.

"You must be Cynder," he said, extending a hand toward me.

It took me a second to clue in to what he intended—I had seen moles in the city shake each others' hands as a puzzling sort of greeting, but it still seemed so foreign and unusual to me. I gave him my forepaw anyway, shaking his hand awkwardly, and I did my best to smile.

"It is truly an honour to meet you," the mole told me, and while I was still mildly suspicious his tone seemed genuine. "The Guardians have spoken very highly of you in the messages we've exchanged. My name is Trill."

I made sure to smile again, nodding my head politely. "It's nice to meet you. So...you've been communicating with the Guardians?"

Trill nodded, still smiling, and he released my paw at the same time. "Yes indeed. We've had brief written exchanges over the past couple of weeks. It started when a messenger from Warfang arrived in our village, stating that the Guardians were searching for any medical professional specializing in the mind. As it turns out, I have spent my life studying the workings of the mind and memory conditions. When I was informed of young Master Spyro's condition I sent my response immediately and began making arrangements for the journey here, along with my most helpful assistant."

He gestured to the red dragoness, who stood about as tall as the Guardians but nowhere near as thickly built. Her scales had a soft sort of colour palette to them, and this combined with her expression lent the impression that she was a more peaceful type compared to most other fire dragons.

"My name is Scarlett," the dragoness said, and for some reason her tone made me think of a mother. It just had the kind of caring quality of someone who was devoted to looking after others. "It's very nice to meet you."

I looked between the two newcomers curiously, a question forming on my mind. "You're his assistant? Is the village that you came from a mole village?"

Trill nodded. "Yes, it is."

I frowned, tilting my head in confusion as I looked up at Scarlett. This information was unusual. Dragons were generally social creatures that preferred to live together with their own kind, not in isolation.

Scarlett seemed to know what my question was before I could even ask it.

"I was one of Doctor Trill's patients," she explained.

"His patient?" Cyril repeated, and by the look on his face I realized that the Guardians hadn't gotten into detailed backgrounds yet. It made me wonder what they had even been doing while waiting for me to arrive.

"Yes. Part way through the war I had become separated from my travelling companions and injured during an ape attack. When I came to, I couldn't remember how I had gotten to be where I was. I couldn't remember anything."

"You have amnesia as well?" Volteer asked, his eyes wide.

All eyes turned to Spyro in that moment. I could see him talking with Sparx, the dragonfly doing an impressive job of keeping his brother occupied by reminiscing about their early adventures after meeting Ignitus. They were currently laughing about something, what sounded like an incident with some sort of...stone bell? I wasn't sure I had heard correctly, but it sounded like some inside joke from their trek through Munitions Forge. I shook my head.

"I did," Scarlett continued, snapping my attention back to her. "Fortunately, Trill found me and brought me back to his home where he cared for me. Thanks to his kindness I made a full physical recovery, and thanks to his research and treatment I was able to recover most of my memories in time. I stayed with him as an assistant since then, partly out of gratitude and partly out of a desire to help others in my situation."

"Her contributions have been invaluable," Trill stated, smiling fondly. "I wouldn't have anywhere near the understanding of dragon physiology and the workings of their minds that I have now if I didn't have her help."

I nodded along politely as they spoke, but in truth I was caught up on one point that Scarlett had mentioned. I was having a hard time focusing on anything following it, honestly. I raised my head to meet Trill's and Scarlett's eyes.

"What kind of treatment?" I rushed to ask. "Will it work on Spyro?"

They hesitated, Trill's features tightening so slightly it was almost invisible. It wasn't to me, of course. I had far too much experience in picking out these subtle signs from... _interrogations_. The hope I had felt growing was quickly smothered.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," Trill sighed. "Scarlett's condition was much more of a psychological one than Spyro's is. The mind can block out past experiences as a form of defence, and in Scarlett's case her physical injuries were a catalyst, not the cause. With no underlying physical damage it was a relatively straightforward process to restore the suppressed information. In Spyro's case, however, his memory loss is caused by a physical injury to the brain. If red spirit gems haven't repaired the damage by this point, then I'm sorry to say that his condition is irreversible."

I tensed, my teeth clenching as bitterness filled me. With my voice coming out as a growl, I asked, "Then why are you here if you think he's a lost cause?"

"Because we can still help him," Scarlett responded immediately.

"During the course of Scarlett's treatment, I employed some medicines of my own creation designed to boost clarity in the mind. They use a mixture of herbal remedies and spirit gem solutions to amplify the effects on dragons. With these treatments, Scarlett reported that she would experience moments of heightened lucidity where it was far easier for her to grasp memories that had been lost to her before. I believe that with the right adjustments, this medicine may be able to improve Spyro's quality of life considerably."

Okay, now they had my attention. I leaned forward intently.

"How?" I demanded. I almost sounded like I was begging, and really I guess I was.

"Guardians, you told me that right now Spyro is only capable of retaining memories for a couple of minutes at the absolute most, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct," Terrador replied. Trill let out a small grunt, nodding.

"Well, if I can achieve the effects I'm hoping to with my medicines, the treatment should be able to extend that period of time significantly. Granted that this is only a guess at this point, but if I'm right I _should_ be able to give Spyro at least a couple of hours of continuous memory, if not more."

"Hours?" Cyril exclaimed. "You can get that large of an improvement?"

Trill nodded again, smiling.

My eyes went wide, and for a moment I was speechless. My first reaction was that even if Spyro could go for a couple of hours before he forgot something, that was still a poor excuse of an existence. Quickly enough I realized that it was much more significant than that, though. Compared to his current situation, even a single hour of working memory would be a _massive_ improvement. If he could hold on to information for that long, he could actually function in day to day life! He could hold meaningful conversations, or go out and actually do things without losing track of what was going on every few steps. He could _live_ again! This was huge!

"Can you really do that for him?" I asked, no, _pleaded_. I needed this to be true.

"Only time will tell, but I believe so."

"How long will it take before the medicine is working?"

Trill's smile turned apologetic, and my wings began to sag with disappointment once more.

"I honestly don't know," he told me. "This is delicate work. I don't want to accidentally worsen Spyro's condition instead of helping him, and so I need to be absolutely certain that the medicine will work before I start administering it. There is so much research I need to perform. And even after the medicine is ready, I don't have a guess as to how long it will take before there are any visible effects."

I sagged even further. "Oh."

"We understand, doctor," Terrador spoke up. "The fact that you are so confident you can do anything for him at all is more than we dared to hope for."

I nodded along silently, but inside I couldn't help but feel bitterly disappointed. Scarlett noticed, and she gave me a sympathetic look.

"You need to have faith," she told me, her tone gentle. "There is no doubt in my mind that Doctor Trill will be able to help your friend. It will take time, but you will see. The most important thing that you can do right now is keep a positive outlook."

I snorted. Given the circumstances, that seemed like pretty pointless and frivolous advice.

"I'm serious," Scarlett said firmly, grabbing my attention again. "Staying positive will help to keep Spyro's spirits up as well, which will be extremely important from now on. As someone who has been through memory loss, I know how scary it is. It's _extremely_ easy for that fear to build up until it's overwhelming."

"She's right," Trill nodded. "Memories might not persist through his amnesia, but emotions will. Particularly negative emotions. In these early stages especially where Spyro's memory is so short-lived, it is critical that he stay calm. Otherwise, if he becomes upset but then can't remember why, the added confusion will only upset him further. The longer this loop continues, the harder it will be to break him out of it before he suffers a complete breakdown."

Of course he just had to say that, didn't he? Perfectly on cue, the look of utter distress on Spyro's face during our fight flared up in my mind. I winced, but I tried my best to hide it. Looking over at Spyro again and seeing him joking with Sparx helped.

I couldn't escape my guilt completely, though. My mind wandered back to the repeated instances of Spyro suffering panic attacks when his confusion overwhelmed him. I had just taken them for granted as an unavoidable side-effect of his amnesia, but what Trill was saying now cast all of those incidents in a new light. If I had been able to do more to make Spyro feel secure and at ease, would those attacks not have happened?

Once again, way to go Cynder.

"Okay," I sighed, shaking my head roughly. "What are we supposed to do, then?"

"First and foremost, Spyro will need a dedicated caregiver. Someone to accompany him permanently to serve as a point of stability. Ideally this should be someone he is already familiar with, and it needs to be someone who is willing to stay by his side for the indefinite future."

Three obvious possibilities came to mind: me, Sparx, or one of the Guardians.

With their years of experience and wisdom one of the Guardians would no doubt make an excellent caregiver, but at the same time they were currently trying to guide the dragon race through the process of rebuilding after a devastating war. There was no way they could afford to lose one of them to the task of looking after Spyro at all hours of the day.

Sparx, on the other hand, seemed like a perfect candidate for the job. He had been with Spyro since the day he hatched. There was no one he was more familiar with, and as much as I claimed to understand Spyro on a core level, if I was really honest with myself there was no way I could compete with Sparx in that regard.

And then there was me. Even though I didn't know Spyro as well as Sparx did, I was a close second. On top of that, I was the one that had done the bulk of the work looking after Spyro since getting back to the city already, and even though I had failed to keep him calm and comforted at times, there had been just as many successes along the way as well.

For a moment I balked at the magnitude of the task ahead, though. To be tied to Spyro's side, potentially for the rest of our lives? That was an enormous thing to think about! As much as I loved him and wanted to be with him, the thought was a scary one. It was true, in the month since my confession to him—which there was no doubt left in my mind that he had heard, and that he had deep feelings for me in return—I had thought about the possibility of a life with him. A life of peace. Settling down. Becoming mates. Possibly even...a family.

But every time I had those thoughts, something just felt off about the whole idea. After the life I had lived up to that point, that kind of lifestyle just felt so completely _foreign_. Every time I tried, I just couldn't convince myself that it was even in the realm of possibility. Me? The Terror of the Skies, living a quiet domestic life? Being a mate? A _mother_?

Just... _What_?!

Really, I just wasn't ready to consider that sort of a life. That was why I was hesitant, because if I became Spyro's caregiver then that meant the decision was pretty much made for me: My life would be spent with Spyro. That wasn't to say that I wouldn't like it, obviously, but the idea was a daunting one.

But, when it came right down to it, I just wanted what was best for Spyro. No matter who was better suited for the job, no matter my questions about a future with him, that was what I cared about most of all.

The Guardians were obviously considering the options just as thoroughly as I was. After a couple more minutes they exchanged a quick look with each other, and then all three of them turned to look at me.

Well, I supposed that was the decision made, then.

"Cynder, I think we can all agree that you are the obvious choice for this," Terrador said. "Do you feel capable of this task?"

I almost snorted. It was so, so easy to read the real question behind his words: Was I going to let my stress get the better of me and snap at Spyro again? No. I didn't make the same mistake twice.

"Yeah, I can do it," I nodded. But I was still curious about their full reasoning, so I asked, "But what about Sparx?"

"Sparx would certainly be a good fit for the job, given the scope of his and Spyro's relationship," Volteer confirmed. "However, it is also a fact that dragonflies have a significantly shorter life span than dragons, who can endure for up to two hundred years or more. It is an unpleasant thought, but it is unavoidable that eventually Sparx will expire and will no longer be there to look after his brother. Another dragon is undeniably far better suited for this position."

"It's not as if you can't both take part in Spyro's care in the meantime, either," Cyril added. "Regardless of whether you or Sparx were named Spyro's primary caretaker, doubtlessly you both would continue to play fundamental roles in his life. After Sparx is no longer capable of caring for his brother, however, the task would fall to you in either case. That is why we are asking you now, to be certain that you are up for it when that happens."

This logic did make a lot of sense, even though it was sobering to consider the margin that Spyro would outlive his brother by—and also a bit sad, surprisingly. Actually, who was I kidding? It was sad, straight up. Spyro and Sparx were almost inseparable, and even though I would never admit it, a part of me had grown fond of the insect too.

Still, those were thoughts for another time. I nodded again without hesitation.

"I'll definitely do it. As long as I'm filled in on his treatment, I'll be there to take care of everything."

"You're sure?" Terrador asked.

"Absolutely. I mean, it only makes sense, right? I want to spend my life together with him anyway, so there's no reason for me not to do this for him."

The Guardians all smiled, obviously pleased with my answer. Trill and Scarlett were also smiling, Scarlett especially having a sort of knowing look about her. I couldn't decide whether to feel proud of their confidence in me, or irritated by the extra attention.

"So, anything else I need to know right now?" I asked, ready to change the subject. "Besides keeping him calm and happy, are there any other sticking points?"

"Nothing specific until the medicine is further into development," Trill answered with a shake of his head.

"Just make sure to be patient with him," Scarlett instructed. "I know I don't need to tell you at this point, but this is going to be very hard for both of you. Patience and understanding will be essential if you want to get through this without the pressure driving the two of you apart."

I tried my best to hide my frown. Patience...That wasn't exactly my strongest trait. My episode earlier was plenty proof of that. Maybe it was a bad habit that had carried over from my corruption. In those times, if something got on my nerves there was no consequence for lashing out at it violently...

No, that was no excuse. It was something I wasn't good at, plain and simple, and it was something that I was going to _need_ to be good at. Scarlett was right. Taking care of Spyro was going to be difficult and tiring, and I needed to be able to take it in stride or I was just going to end up hurting him again.

Just the thought of that was unacceptable.

"Alright," I said. "I can do that."

Scarlett smiled at me again. "I'm glad to hear it. Spyro is very lucky to have someone like you that cares so much about him."

This time I did snort. "Lucky dragons wouldn't be stuck with amnesia for the rest of their lives. But you can be sure that he won't be going through it alone."

"That's all we wanted to hear," Trill declared with a clap of his hands. "Now, I think that concludes our main business here. Guardians, I still have some questions about working and living accommodations for Scarlett and I, but that should be the last thing we need before we can get to work. Cynder, we'll be sure to keep you updated on any progress we make. We'll likely be needing to see Spyro frequently for appointments to study his condition further."

"I figured as much. Just let me know when you need to see him and I'll handle it."

"Excellent. Thank you very much for your help."

I smiled and nodded in response, and with that Trill and Scarlett focused their attention on the Guardians. I sat back and spent a moment just thinking about everything that had happened that day. All of the exhaustion I had felt that morning was gone, and instead I felt a tentative sense of excitement. It was a hard blow, learning that there was no chance Spyro would ever get his memory back, but at the same time it was a massive relief to have found a professional ready to do everything they could to help him. Two hours or more of unbroken lucidity...I almost couldn't believe it. That would change his life!

Scarlett's and Trill's words echoed in my head. What Spyro needed now was stability. A constant presence to guide him and support him. The more I thought about it, the more badly I wanted to be that for him. I could be his anchor. I could be the partner he needed in his life now. Right then, I made a promise.

I would be the best partner he could ever have.


	3. 3 - Progress

**(A/N): Time for another upload! I have to say, for something that I've been calling a "short" story, this chapter isn't very short. ^ ^; Whether you read it all at once, or break the sections up one at a time, up to you. I hope you enjoy it either way!**

* * *

 **So, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to put here...**

 **Cynder's telling me that it's an idea my doctor suggested. No, my doctor's assistant. Scarlett. That's what Cynder says her name is. But yeah, apparently they think that the act of writing something down might help 'imprint' it somehow, since my memory is too screwed up to do that on its own. I have no way of telling if it's working, but hey, what can it hurt, right?**

 **There isn't going to be much of substance here, I'm afraid. Honestly, I would be completely helpless if Cynder wasn't lying here beside me helping me along. She says to just write down what I can remember. I guess I'll give that a try...**

 **I don't have much. Really, all I can remember is lying here in our room talking. I don't even remember when we walked in. That's a pretty freaky feeling when I think about it, but Cynder says I'm not supposed to focus on that. What I remember from our conversation is that we have to wake up early tomorrow because the Guardians have some dignitaries that want to meet us, but I have no idea where they're from or even what kind of creatures they are. Cynder seems excited about it, though. I also remember spilling my medicine when Cynder tried to pass it to me, and we did that cliché thing of bumping our heads into each other when we both went to clean it up. She just laughed, though. I really liked hearing it.**

 **And yeah, that's all I've got. It feels so weird, knowing that there's supposed to be more there but it just being blank. It's like no time has passed since I blacked out in the core of the world, even though I know it must have. Cynder says the medicine is helping, though. I believe her. I looked back at some of my earlier journal pages. It was...pretty scary, how scattered and confused everything was...**

 **That's the weird thing, though. I would expect to be freaked out and upset by what's happening to me. I mean, my life is basically slipping away and I'm not going to be able to hang on to any of it; not one single moment. But I'm not upset. Not too much, anyway. I feel...kind of peaceful. There's no war anymore. No fighting. No monsters. No fear. Just me and someone I care about, getting to spend a bunch of time together.**

 **And when it's put that way, things don't really seem that bad.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

 _Ancestors, how much shaking can this place take? It felt like it was going to rattle my bones apart! I had trouble grasping in my mind that right at that moment, literally the entire world was shaking like this, not just the cavern we were standing in. That was when it hit me full force. The absolutely deafening rumbling and grinding sound; the earthquakes; the light breaking through the cracks that were opening up in the cave ceiling...the world was dying._

 _We were too late._

 _I felt numb. I had expected to feel panicked, or angry, or...just_ something _, but instead it was like I was already dead inside. I felt cold and useless, just standing there in a state of shock. Cynder was a different story, though. She was trying to stay strong, but I could see it in her eyes. I had never seen her looking this scared._

 _Ancestors, I hated seeing her like that. After everything she had already been through...I just wished that there was some way I could help her, make her feel safe somehow. But what could I possibly do when the entire_ planet _was crumbling? I was just one dragon!_

 _Except I wasn't_ just _one dragon. I was one_ purple _dragon..._

 _It was like I could hear Ignitus in my head, calming me with his steady words and comforting tone. Maybe there was some slim chance that I could still do something. Cynder protested. I knew she would, and I almost smiled hearing her try to talk me out of what I was about to do. It was amazing that she could care so much after being trapped inside her own body for her whole life, exposed to nothing but death and hatred. Maybe after this, she would get to know something more._

 _I braced myself. I knew this was going to take absolutely everything I had. Every ounce of my power. All of my will. My spirit. I knew what the cost was going to be, but I still had to try. For everyone still hiding, counting on me. For my family, and friends. For her..._

 _And that was when I heard it. The whisper. Those three words._

 _I smiled, suddenly feeling warm inside, but I doubted she saw it. My power was already flaring up like a miniature sun, and through the glare I could just make out her shape backing away and covering her eyes with her wings. I closed my own eyes as the glow became too bright to bear, still feeling my power swell throughout my body. It felt like I was being stretched from the inside, filled to the absolute brim with energy just begging to be released._

 _Then it was, and that was when the pain started. I gasped, the sudden, massive power drain stealing my breath and pulling at my chest like someone was trying to yank my heart right through my ribcage. It spread from there, burning like fire, hotter and hotter until it felt like I was going to physically ignite at any second. I wanted to scream but I had no air in my lungs to do it. My hearing faded as my blood pounded in my ears. My heart was beating at a million miles an hour and I was sure it was going to burst. My wings started to tingle strangely, and then my tail went numb and I couldn't feel my legs anymore, and oh Ancestors I really needed to breathe but my lungs wouldn't work, and the light was stabbing into my eyes like dagger blades. It just hurt so much! Dear Ancestors, it was like I was being ripped apart and I just couldn't take it anymore, the pain was too much and I wanted it to stop, somebody just make it stop! Please oh PLEASE, anyone help me I feel like I'm dying and I can't stop it the power just won't stop now things are going dark and it hurts it hurts SO MUCH PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP JUST MAKE IT STOP!_

-~.~-*-~.~-

A scream finally managed to escape my mouth, air suddenly filling my lungs as I snapped upright with my eyes wide open. I sat gasping for breath like I had just flown the entire distance from the swamp to the White Isle and back in a single day. It took me a second to realize that the dark chamber I was sitting in was completely unfamiliar, and it was at that point that confusion really started to set in. I was in some sort of room with homely furnishings, so was I in a house? Whose house? It was small and dark because the curtains were drawn, and wait, what was I sitting on? A bed? I didn't recognize any of this and I couldn't remember where I was or how I had gotten there, or why Cynder was lying right beside me and looking at me—

Wait. Cynder?

I turned my head and sure enough there she was, propping herself up with her forelegs about a foot from my side in the single padded bed. She had a look of enormous concern on her face, her features difficult to make out in the darkness but the look in her eyes unmistakeable.

"Were you dreaming about the end of the world again?"

The phrasing sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but her tone of voice was completely sincere and genuinely worried. I nodded in response without really thinking about it, and she reached up with a paw to stroke the back of my neck. It surprised me, but it felt...nice, actually...

I was given a sort of pause at how easily she guessed what my dream was about, and my mind particularly stuck on her use of the word 'again'. How often had this happened? And how would there have been time for this to happen multiple times anyway? That dream was the last thing I remembered. Wasn't I just waking up from that...?

I looked around at the room again, my thoughts once again tripping up at the present situation: Me and Cynder, one bed, in a single bedroom that I didn't recognize, with no indication of where I was.

My eyes found Cynder once more, my brow arched in a thoroughly puzzled expression.

"I think I missed something."

Her concerned look was very quickly replaced by an amused smile. She turned her body away from me and reached for something on a wooden end table beside the bed.

"I'll explain in a second," she told me. "But first drink this."

She turned back with a small cup resting between her forepaws. It was holding a strange orange-red liquid that was giving off an unusual smell. I frowned.

"What is it?"

"Medicine to help your memory," she replied, motioning for me to take the cup.

I cocked my head to the side. "My memory?"

"Yes. Here, take it."

I hesitated, still feeling very confused and honestly thinking that the drink didn't look or smell very appetizing, but under Cynder's insistent gaze I eventually caved. The taste was very bitter and caused me to grimace and almost gag, but at least it didn't hang on my tongue very long. I paused again when I immediately felt a strange rush to my head, driving away a little bit of the fuzzy feeling that I had attributed to morning grogginess. I didn't notice at first when Cynder took the cup from me and placed it back on the end table. Once I had I gave her another confused look, and after that my thoughts went back to my dream and my unfamiliar surroundings.

"I don't understand," I muttered.

"I know," she responded with a gentle, sympathetic tone. "Take a look at your journal. It'll help explain a little bit."

I frowned once again. Journal? As if reading my mind, Cynder pointed to the end table on my side of the bed, and when I looked I saw that there was a brown leather-bound book sitting on top of it with an ink pot beside it. Curious now, I pulled it onto the bed in front of me. When I opened it to the first page I recognized my own writing. I glanced up at Cynder, who gave me an encouraging nod. Well, might as well see what it said anyway. I saw a couple of small lines transcribed on the page and I started reading. However, I faltered again after just the first line.

 _'I have amnesia.'_

I immediately looked up at Cynder again. Her expression was deliberately neutral. Now feeling anxious, I tried to resume reading.

Amnesia? Really?

' _My brain can't make new memories.'_

 _'My medicine helps me hold on to things for longer, but I will forget those things eventually.'_

 _'I live in Warfang, and Cynder lives with me.'_

 _'Cynder has been caring for me._ _ **Trust**_ _what she says.'_

The word 'trust' was written in extra bold letters, and even though I was confused by what I was reading I somehow understood what I must have meant when writing these messages to myself. Even if I didn't understand what was going on, Cynder did. She was looking out for me, and so there was no point questioning what she said to me. I knew that she wasn't going to steer me wrong.

Still, this was a _lot_ to take in. Was my memory really that screwed up? It would definitely explain the unfamiliar situation I found myself in, but then how much time had I lost in between my last memory and now?

I must have looked distressed, because Cynder stroked the back of my neck with her paw again.

"You okay?"

"Uh..." I stammered numbly. "I...Yeah, yeah. I'm just...not sure how to process this, I guess. Doesn't help that I was already rattled from that dream..."

A sympathetic look crossed Cynder's face, and she rubbed my neck a couple more times before straightening up.

"It still looks pretty early, but maybe it would help to go out and walk around a bit. What do you say?"

"Walk?" I repeated, considering it for a brief moment. I was about to protest, but then I looked back at the journal and saw the message I had left myself. "I...Yeah, okay. Sure."

Cynder smiled, and somehow just seeing it was enough to ease some of my troubles. She hopped off the bed and walked to the curtains nearby, pulling them back to reveal a doorway out to some kind of balcony or deck. I rose to follow her, but the journal bumped against my paw and I hesitated.

How much was in there, anyway?

Drawn by a morbid sort of curiosity, I tilted the book and let the pages start flipping past. Ten. Twenty. Fifty. _A hundred_. All of them were covered with my scribbled writing, and it was still going! I could feel my eyes widening. How long had I been like this!?

"Spyro?"

I jumped at Cynder's call, spinning around to see her looking back at me from the balcony.

"You coming?" she asked gently.

"Uh, yeah," I fumbled in reply, letting the journal fall back to the bed at the same time. "Yeah, sorry."

I left the room quickly, keeping the journal out of my line of sight as I moved to join Cynder on the balcony. I didn't have to worry about dwelling on what I had just seen, though, because what I saw next pushed it completely out of my mind.

The sun was just rising over the city, the golden rooftops and stone walls of what was apparently Warfang shining in the warmth of the sun. It looked completely different than I remembered from the siege. Instead of dusty and broken down it was proud and majestic. It looked bigger, too, and I wondered whether its population had expanded since the war ended or whether it was just me not being familiar with this area of it.

I looked behind me and felt my jaw drop slightly farther when I saw the living arrangements that I had just stepped out of. It looked like some sort of luxury apartment if I had to give it a label, spacious with decorated walls, large windows, healthy green plants and very comfortable-looking outdoor furnishings. It was clearly built with dragons in mind, the large balcony we were standing on being the only point of access that I could see and built with plenty of space for taking off and landing. It was actually built on the roof of the next apartment down, and the balcony for another one sat on the roof of ours. There were more similarly stacked residences to my left when facing our home, giving the entire complex the appearance of stepped terraces.

I couldn't believe it. I lived _here_? It looked like something meant for royalty or the rich, not a pair of young dragons with no prior wealth to their names!

"Come on," Cynder spoke up, snapping me out of my daze abruptly. "Let's head to the water gardens. This light is perfect for them."

She took off before I could reply, looking back at me expectantly over her wing. Feeling powerless to argue, I spread my own wings and took flight after her, glancing one last time at our home and its surroundings as we climbed higher into the sky.

It was a quiet flight. Cynder seemed content to just enjoy the calm morning atmosphere, and I was still caught up in trying to wrap my head around my situation. What was written in that journal scared me if I was honest. Really scared me. Just the knowledge that soon enough I was going to forget everything happening around me...it almost made everything I was doing seem pointless. I wanted to know more about the state of the city and what had happened since we returned to it, but what was the use of asking if none of it was going to stick? Why go out for this walk to calm down after my nightmare if I was going to forget that I had one, anyway?

I suddenly became thoughtful then, wondering what I could remember of the dream—at least I still knew I'd had one. I frowned, concentrating, and a small shudder ran up my spine. Yep, it was still there. Or at least, most of it was. I remembered pain, and noise, and...oh, right, it must have been me fixing the world when it was breaking up.

Another anxious chill ran through me. It was already hazy, and I could practically feel the details of it slipping away from me even then. It wasn't even that long ago! Wait...was it? Right, right, yes, it had to have been recent because we only just left our home a few minutes ago, and...Oh, dear Ancestors, I was so confused...

"Spyro."

My head jerked up, startled by the call. "W-what? Huh?"

"Look," Cynder told me, pointing with a talon and flashing a smile. "We're here."

I looked where she indicated, and again my eyes practically doubled in size—seriously, at this rate they were going to drop right out of my skull! Pretty much right in the middle of the city there was a series of pools and artificial ponds that had been constructed. The layout was complete with waterfalls, fountains, and all surrounded by a network of pathways, bridges and many decorative flowerbeds. The rising sun was reflected off of the smooth water surfaces, making them almost look like they were filled with liquid gold. It was literally breathtaking.

"Wow..." was all I managed to force out.

"I know," Cynder grinned. "It's great, isn't it? It's my favourite place to come and unwind whenever I'm tense or stressed."

I could only nod, easily able to see why. The tranquil setting was already helping to calm my nerves from the fears and questions I'd been caught up in seconds ago. Cynder banked down toward a small grassy clearing, which had clearly been designed specifically for dragons to land in and take off from. Once firmly on the ground with our wings folded, Cynder led me down a walkway of flat stepping stones toward one of the nearby ponds. We sat down at the edge, the sun to our right, and for a moment we just took in the stillness. There was barely anyone else in sight.

"I never saw this place during the war," I commented quietly.

"Me neither," Cynder replied. "It's surprising how much of the city we missed with all the fighting."

I simply nodded again, looking out at the pool. A second later I looked down and dipped a paw into the water, enjoying the coolness of it, but it was at that moment that I faltered. My reflection...there was something off about it. I frowned curiously and leaned closer to look.

I felt shock hit me almost immediately. An unfamiliar face was staring back at me in the water. I was still recognizable as myself, but many things had also changed. My snout had thickened slightly, my jaw line broader and more defined. My horns had grown longer, the crest on my head also slightly enlarged, and I could see the points of two secondary horns poking out of my scales just above my jaw—actually, now that I knew they were there they itched like _crazy_! At the lower corners of my jaw I could also make out the start of a pair of frills much like my crest, with golden points and a thin line of orange-red membrane tracing along the surface of my scales between them. This was _not_ the face of the young adolescent dragon I remembered being! What had happened to me!?

Wait, that was right. The face I _remembered_ , but my memory wasn't working properly. It was right there, on the tip of my brain from when I had woken up...whenever that was. Something was wrong with my memory, and so...So I couldn't know how long ago that memory from the world's core actually was.

"It's a shock, isn't it?" Cynder asked softly.

My head snapped up toward her, startled by her voice. I had somehow forgotten that she was sitting there for a moment—though this time it wasn't related to my other memory problems. It was only then that I clued in that she looked different too, and I wondered how I could have missed it.

Her wings were longer than I recalled, her neck and tail elongated and beginning to liken back to her adult form, and her body was filling out elegantly. Her horns had grown longer and sharper, and I could see the pair of ivory white bumps where her fourth pair of horns was beginning to grow in under her jaw. I also realized then that her accessories had changed. She wasn't wearing the thick metal bands around her wrists, tail and neck anymore. Instead she had a single fine necklace with a curved silver plate hanging against her chest, an emerald gem set in its centre that perfectly matched her eyes. There was also a matching silver band around her left primary horn. I had to admit, the effect was quite eye-catching and I couldn't help but admire her new appearance for a long, dazed moment.

One thing that hadn't changed was her eyes. They were still the same deep, shining emerald, and they still gripped my soul the same way as before. I could feel my face heating up as I stared into them.

"H...how long...?" I muttered, feeling dazed.

"We got back to Warfang just over three years ago," she replied.

I was instantly snapped out of my stupor, my head rocking back. Three _years_?

"About a month after that a mole doctor named Trill confirmed that you had anterograde amnesia and that your brain couldn't store any new information in your long-term memory because of the physical strain you suffered putting the world back together. There's no way of fixing it, but there's still a treatment that he's been working on since then. About a year after he arrived he started giving you medicine to extend the amount of time your short-term memory can hold on to things before they disappear. At the start things would only stick for one or two minutes at most, but now it's more like fifteen or so, and it's improving slowly."

I didn't answer, silently processing the information I was receiving. As gently as Cynder put it, it was still a pretty bleak revelation. Was fifteen minutes really all I had? And after that, anything I experienced would just be gone? Vanished? Talk about grim...

Well, it was at least somewhat comforting to hear that efforts were being made to help me.

"I've been living with you since we returned to help look after you," she continued. "The Guardians gave us a place to ourselves and they pay for everything we need. Since then we've basically just been living day to day together, making the most of the peace that you gave us."

I looked at her curiously. "We've been together for all that time? So, are we...?"

My cheeks heated up more from the question I was trying to ask. Cynder gained an amused smile, a sort of twinkle showing in her eyes as she giggled at me.

"We aren't mates," she answered bluntly. "We aren't of age for that. But we have been working on a relationship."

"Oh," I said with a very faint stammer, one that caused Cynder to grin again. "Uh...How is that going?"

"Slowly," she admitted. "But well."

I felt a light, nervous flutter in my chest and looked away sheepishly. I still didn't quite understand, though, and I met her eyes again a second later with a new question on my mind.

"How does that work, though? How can a relationship progress if I don't remember any of it?"

"Memory and emotion are different things," Cynder explained. "You forget events that happen, but your emotional state is more of a physiological thing that persists from moment to moment. I understand that it does make it more difficult to know how to act when you don't have a reference point on what stage of our relationship we're in, but just trust what you feel and things will work out on their own. Don't worry about forcing anything and just do what feels right to you."

I still had a frown on my face. "But what if I do something that 'feels right' and it ends up being too soon?"

Cynder gave me a sort of teasing smirk. "We've been a couple for almost three years, Spyro. At this point there isn't very much you can do that would be 'too soon'."

"Oh," I stammered, embarrassed. "Well...okay."

In spite of my now flustered state, the truth was that Cynder's words did strike a chord with me. Even if I couldn't explain it, it did feel right. I felt more comfortable around Cynder now than I could rationally explain; certainly more intimate than the close friends we had been at the end of the war. It was...I didn't really know how to describe it. Just from the context, it felt more familiar. Deeper. I smiled.

"You're really good at explaining all this," I commented.

Cynder chuckled. "Well, I have had some practice."

I laughed along with her, but a moment later a more sober through crossed my mind and I grimaced. Cynder noticed, tilting her head questioningly.

"Why bother explaining all of this to me, though? It'll all be gone in a few minutes anyway."

Cynder considered me in silence for a moment, but after that she responded by stepping forward and curling her wing around my back, pulling me in so that our shoulders rubbed together. After that she ran her muzzle under my jaw, and I let out an involuntary sigh and closed my eyes as I felt myself relaxing. It was impressive how easily she accomplished that, really.

"Because it puts you at ease," she answered. "And that's what matters most."

I let out another drawn out breath, and what was left of the tension I felt left with it. Without really thinking I pulled my wing around to wrap Cynder in a tight hug. That was when I remembered what she had just told me about following my feelings, and without any more hesitation I pressed my brow against hers and rubbed our muzzles together. She responded with a contented hum, turning her body to face me fully and holding tighter with her wing. I smiled, feeling warm and totally at peace inside.

"Thanks," I said quietly. "I feel a lot better now after..." I trailed off, my mind suddenly drawing a complete blank. "...well, whatever it was I was tense about before."

"You're very welcome, Spyro."

"I love you."

Silence followed after that, and I was happy to simply enjoy this peaceful mo—

Whoa whoa whoa! Wait! _What_ did I just say?

My head jerked up, and when I looked at Cynder I saw that she was looking back at me with a strange sort of smile, somewhere between surprise and gleeful amusement. I swallowed nervously.

"Uhh...Is that the first time I've said that?"

Her smile spread wider. "No. But that doesn't mean I don't like hearing it."

I fumbled for a second longer, my heart rate spiking anxiously, but my embarrassment died when Cynder leaned forward and nuzzled my cheek tenderly. After that I felt a smile cross my face again, and I returned to my previous position. I heard Cynder sigh happily again.

As much as it surprised me, I didn't feel afraid anymore. In that moment it didn't matter anymore if I was going to forget this morning. This moment might be gone later, and that thought was a bit depressing, but that didn't mean that there weren't going to be more like it for me to look forward to. Judging by how Cynder was acting I felt assured that she wouldn't mind that one bit, and I certainly wouldn't either. It almost felt perfect...

And of course, my stomach decided that this was the perfect time to make itself known. A grumble loud enough for both of us to hear broke the silence, and I froze. Seriously? Well, I _was_ hungry. We must not have eaten yet that morning. How long ago had we woken up, anyway...?

I then noticed that Cynder was laughing at me again. My cheeks turned hot once more.

"How about we find someplace to grab a quick breakfast?" she asked me.

"Uh, sure," I replied lamely, still embarrassed about the unceremonious way that I had ended our moment. "Where?"

"Come on," Cynder said, motioning with her head toward the city buildings. "I know a place that'll be almost empty this time of morning. We'll have it all to ourselves."

I nodded, a smile forming. "That sounds great."

"Perfect," she beamed. "Then follow me."

With a touch of reluctance I pulled my wing back, and after brushing her snout against mine once more Cynder did the same. After that she rose, tugged on my shoulder with her wing and started walking west toward the edge of the park. I watched her for a second longer, my mind flashing back over the past couple of minutes. Then I stood up, my smile stretching wider, and I followed.

* * *

 **Well, I have to say it. For someone with a permanent memory disorder, one thing I wouldn't expect to be very beneficial would be school. Apparently that's a thing that I'm doing now, though, at least according to what Cynder says. I can't remember anything before cleaning up after supper, so she could just be messing with me.**

 **Really, I don't get it though. What good is it going to do me? I mean I am curious about dragon history and culture, since I never had a chance to learn about those things, but if I can't remember the lessons then it's just a waste of time, isn't it?**

 **Well, I guess it isn't going to hurt anything. At the very least it's something Cynder needs to do, and it's a lot easier for her to care for me if I'm actually there with her. And who knows? Maybe there's something I actually will pick up in my time there.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

"...and it is for that reason that the act of spreading one's wings inside the council chambers of the griffins is considered both a challenge and a horrendous insult, and in the presence of their king is a banish-able offence. In addition, do recall what we discussed yesterday concerning the rigidity of griffin laws and customs. Even if a visitor were to flare a wing accidentally, there would be no concession given. No second chances. Therefore, if at any point any of you do find yourselves visiting the griffins on official business, please do remember this fact and spare our race the international embarrassment."

I could hear a number of voices murmuring to each other in the wake of this information. Some of the late-teenaged dragons sitting in the theatre-like room were hurriedly scribbling notes in parchment pads, while others exchanged skeptical glances as if trying to decide whether the Ice Guardian standing at the head of the room was actually serious—although it didn't look like Cyril noticed. He was too busy writing another line of notes upon the large flat writing board on the front wall which appeared to work by enchantment, letters appearing behind the movements of his talon.

Cynder was one of the diligent note-takers, her ink-covered claw flying across the parchment in front of her at a speed that almost made me dizzy. I didn't have any notes in front of me, though, just the bare surface of the elongated desk that sat in front of the row of bench seats that Cynder and I occupied. I felt like I was dazed, sitting there trying to follow what Cyril was saying but very quickly finding myself completely lost. I shuffled my paws and swallowed, both anxious and restless. Though I felt a bit guilty for it, I eventually couldn't take just sitting there any longer and I leaned my head closer to Cynder.

"Should I be writing this down too?" I whispered. "I kind of lost track of what we're talking about."

"It's okay," she whispered back. "I've got it. You can re-read mine later if you want."

I looked toward the front of what I could only conclude was a classroom again, where Cyril was continuing his lecture on griffin something-or-other, and though Cynder's words were obviously meant to be reassuring I couldn't really say that I felt comforted.

"But..."

"Sorry, Spyro, but I need to focus right now. Just try and listen as well as you can."

She gave me a brief apologetic smile, and all I could manage in return was a reluctant frown. Still, I wasn't going to do any good by continuing to bother her, so I let out a quiet sigh.

"Alright, I under—"

"Is there something someone would like to add to this lesson?" Cyril spoke up suddenly with an irate tone of voice.

I jumped and let out a rather un-masculine squeak at his harsh tone, and for a moment I froze when all at once I found myself pinned by several stares. Sheesh, talk about awkward. That was when I noticed Cynder straightening up and opening her mouth to answer, though, and my guilt turned to panic. If she was about to do what I thought she was then there was no way I was letting her take the blame for my disruption.

"Sorry, Cyril!" I called before Cynder could. "I was just...uhh..."

I could see Cyril's expression ease a bit, a look of understanding replacing some of his anger. Well, apparently disabilities did come with some benefits. Instead of a harsh lecture all I got was a long sigh.

"That's alright, Spyro," he told me. "I understand it's difficult, but just listen quietly if you please. If there's a chance you'll absorb anything from the lesson, it will be while you're focusing."

I simply nodded. It looked like Cyril was satisfied with my answer and turned his back on the watching students while he resumed his monologue. I glanced at Cynder once it seemed certain that I was out of trouble and mouthed the word "Sorry" to her. She smiled quickly in return and gave my forepaw a squeeze with hers, which did help settle my guilt somewhat. After that I gave a frustrated sigh, though, wondering how I was going to follow a lesson that I had no context for. I flopped down on top of the desk with my forelegs crossed, letting my chin rest on the bare wood. Hopefully this didn't last too much longer.

I spotted an hourglass sitting on a table at the front of the room and my head perked up slightly. There wasn't actually that much sand left in the top of it, though it was hard to judge how fast it was draining. At the very least it looked like my boredom wasn't going to be as long-lived as I was afraid of.

Cyril was saying something about how griffin laws were passed...or was it how council members were appointed? Something about votes. I suppressed a yawn and gave up at that point, laying my head back down and just staring at the hourglass as the grains of sand continued to slowly filter down. I thought I saw Cynder glance at me while she was writing, but I could only see her out of the corner of my eye and couldn't tell whether she looked sympathetic or disappointed. It didn't really matter either way. I didn't have the mental energy to keep trying.

The rest of the lesson passed in a sort of trance for me, Cyril's droning voice not quite enough to lull me to sleep. My mind wandered randomly, but unfortunately my apparent lack of any recent memories whatsoever meant all my brain really had to work with for diversions were scenes from the war, things I didn't particularly want to re-live. I ended up counting the scales on my forepaw as a way to occupy myself.

Pretty pathetic that this was the best I could come up with...

Finally, I saw the last grains of sand fall through the hourglass and a few moments later I heard a large bell chime somewhere. Cyril stopped writing on the board and looked up, surprised.

"That appears to be all for today," he declared. "Remember that for next week everyone should have studied the materials in the Academy library on the roles of social classes in griffin society, because I will be testing you on them in our next lesson. Until then, you are dismissed."

There was some grumbling around the room at the news of this test, which honestly I was a bit worried about. Hopefully Cyril wasn't expecting _me_ to take it, but if it was required for the class then maybe I did. Actually, that was a good question: Was I even enrolled officially in the class, or was I just there to observe?

I jumped when I felt something touch my side, but I relaxed when I looked over to see that it had just been Cynder.

"You coming, or are you going to stay there and daydream a little longer?" she asked with a smirk.

Well, it seemed like she wasn't too disappointed in me for losing focus after all. I still frowned at her teasing, though.

"Oh, ha ha," I answered flatly. "Lead on, then."

She only chuckled and turned to start climbing the steps to the nearest exit after putting her notes in the satchel that hung against her shoulder. We emerged in a noisy corridor and I was taken aback by how crowded it was. Cynder and I were frequently jostled by other dragons of varying ages that were hurrying past in the hallway. I felt frozen, the sudden rush of activity overwhelming me for a moment.

Cynder nudged my side again, earning another jump.

"You still with me?" she asked, still grinning. "You looked like you were having a hard time in there."

I offered a sheepish smile in return. "Sorry. I tried, but..."

Her smile softened, and she used her wing to give my shoulders a reassuring squeeze. It was unexpected, but not unwelcome, and I was a bit sad when she pulled the wing back.

"I get it. That class is hard enough to pay attention to without amnesia."

"Oh, Ancestors, _tell_ me about it," a new voice cut in, and I turned a very puzzled look past Cynder at the red dragon that had just stepped up on her right side. He was stretching his neck out like he had a cramp in it, and I wondered for a second whether he had fallen asleep in Cyril's class like I almost had.

Actually, forget that. Who _was_ this dragon anyway? Either he was the extremely chummy type or he knew Cynder already, but I obviously didn't recognize him.

"Have I ever said how much I hate International Society class?" he continued. "I can't believe we need to know all of this trivia."

"Well, sorry to say it, Novus, but if you're going to be a Guardian then that kind of involves interacting with other cultures," another unfamiliar voice stated. This one belonged to a moss green earth dragoness that had appeared beside the fire dragon. Seriously, who _were_ these people?

It was almost like they had heard my thoughts, because at that moment all three of them turned to face me. I froze, suddenly feeling more than a bit uncomfortable, and though I opened my mouth to say something I couldn't think of any words.

"Looks like introduction time again," the green dragoness said in a surprisingly bright tone. "I'm Flora, and this idiot is Novus. We've all known each other for about a year and a half now."

"Yup," the fire dragon nodded, a proud sort of look on his face. "Talk about your day of surprises. Get called to the Citadel to be told that you're a candidate for Guardian apprenticeship; meet the world's two greatest heroes a couple of minutes later. Gotta say, really wasn't expecting that."

He chuckled at that, to which the dragoness, Flora, just shook her head with a smirk. I just stood there like a statue, trying to think up some kind of response. What I came up with wasn't really all that impressive.

"Uh...hi?"

Flora giggled, causing my face to heat up slightly from embarrassment, and Novus smirked alongside her. The way Cynder was trying not to laugh didn't exactly help the matter. They moved on before I could really start to feel offended, though.

"So, pop quiz!" Flora declared with the same bright voice as before. Clearly she was the outgoing, energetic type. I was surprised she wasn't an electricity dragoness. "What's the earliest thing you remember from the class?"

Wow, right to the point. I fumbled for a second, considering just refusing to answer after being put on the spot like this, but Novus and Cynder were both clearly curious as well. I sighed and concentrated.

"It was..." I grunted, frowning at the difficulty I was having. Trying to grasp the memories that had almost completely faded...It was like trying to pick up water with my bare claws. "...something about..." Suddenly it clicked and my head jerked up. "It was about royalty and heirs, or...something like that."

Novus blinked, looking surprised. "The griffins' succession laws?"

That sounded reasonable, so I just nodded.

"That was almost forty minutes ago," Cynder remarked, and in her eyes I saw a sort of blend between surprise and a great deal of pride. A warm feeling swelled up in my chest at that.

"Wow. That's a new record!" Flora beamed.

"Really?"

"It definitely is," Cynder nodded, a broad smile appearing on her face. "That's great!"

She shifted closer to me, patting my shoulder in a praising manner with a folded wing. I grinned back, the enthusiasm of the other three dragons quickly rubbing off on me.

"So does this mean that whatever's wrong with my memory is getting better?" I asked.

And just like that, the joyful moment was smashed. Apparently that was the wrong question for me to ask because I saw Novus cringe, and Flora suddenly couldn't look me in the eye. Cynder's smile had become noticeably strained, and all at once I felt cold and nervous inside.

"It means your medicine is improving your symptoms." she said carefully, trying to hide the sigh that came out with her words.

I picked up on her meaning immediately. My symptoms, but not my condition. Oddly, I felt more guilty for crushing everyone's good mood than disappointed in this news. The fact that it had apparently upset Cynder stung especially. I looked awkwardly down at my paws.

"Oh," I said, trying hard to think of some way to turn things around again. "Well...that's still good news, right?"

I forced a smile onto my face, and after a second it seemed to work. Cynder looked into my eyes for a moment before her own genuine smile returned. She looked relieved, which in turn was a relief to me. As worried as I was about my condition, seeing her smiling made it a _lot_ easier to cope with.

"Yes, it is," she agreed, nodding determinedly.

"Maybe by next month you'll hit fifty," Flora added, resuming her bright tone.

"Next month?" Novus said. "At this rate you'll be there by next week."

Cynder smirked and gave a small shake of her head, and by that action I deduced that Novus was exaggerating—that was the suspicion I'd had from his tone anyway—but I still appreciated the comment. If it was true that my memory really was improving steadily, I was eager for the longer stretches of time I could look forward to.

The crowd in the hallway was starting to thin out. Cynder seemed to realize this at the same time I did.

"We should get to our next class," she said to the others. "Don't want Terrador making us fly laps around the Academy for being late."

"Oh, don't remind me about that," Novus groaned.

I glanced between the others. Clearly there was a story here that I was missing, but it didn't look like I was going to get to hear it.

"Come on, Spyro," Cynder told me. "It's this way."

She turned to the right down the corridor and started walking, looking back at me as she did so. I followed obediently, curious about what this next class was. Terrador, and laps. Some sort of physical activity seemed like a safe bet. Turned out that I was right.

"Fitness and Conditioning class," Flora explained when I asked. "But most students like to call it 'Boot Camp'. It's basically physical and elemental training to make sure we're all in fighting form."

"Fighting?" I asked, raising a brow. "Isn't the war over?"

"It is," Novus said with a nod. "But if you haven't gathered it by now, the upper-year program we're all in is geared toward high-level civil and leadership positions, like Guardians, or councillors, or military officers. The Academy's higher-ups want to make sure everyone coming out of this program is equipped mentally and physically to handle any situation that comes up in the world."

I regarded the fire dragon with surprise. His business-like tone seemed at odds with the behaviour I'd seen from him so far. Cynder noticed and leaned slightly closer to me.

"He might act like a goof a lot of the time, but he does actually take this program very seriously. Being a Guardian is his dream."

I nodded, feeling a new sense of respect. I might not know him well enough to be an accurate judge, but I was getting the impression that he would be a good choice for the job. He was...charismatic, in his own sort of impish way. Flora was somewhat harder to pin down with her somewhat innocent, up-beat attitude, but those qualities definitely made her likeable. She seemed responsible too, and I continued to learn more about both of them as we made our way to the training yard where our next class was already held.

Now, when the others had said "training yard", I hadn't been expecting them to mean indoors. Nonetheless we arrived at a massive interior chamber that looked like some sort of arena, minus the stands. There were already several dragons of our age inside, seemingly warming up in their own various ways, alone or with partners. Terrador sat in the middle of the floor, two other adult dragons with him that I didn't recognize. After Cynder, Novus and Flora had deposited their bags on a nearby shelf they started walking over to Terrador, and I followed close behind them. A few more students filed in through the doorway after us, and a minute later the bell from before chimed, apparently signalling the start of the class. Terrador lifted his head and cleared his throat loudly.

"Everyone, gather around," he instructed. The students all complied without delay, sitting down in neat rows in front of the Guardian. I quickly took my place beside Cynder. Terrador's eyes paused on me for a moment and a small, friendly smile appeared at the corner of his muzzle for a fleeting second. After that it was back to all business.

"Today we're going to be splitting you up into groups to evaluate your progress over the past few weeks. In these trials you may be facing dummies or each other, and in either case I want your focus to be on applying the combat techniques we have been studying in the last several classes. For those sparring against partners, please exercise appropriate caution to avoid injuring each other. Understood?"

"Yes, Master Terrador," the students all replied in unison. I was easily starting to see where the "Boot Camp" nickname was coming from now.

After that, Terrador started dividing the class into three groups, each one moving off into their own third of the yard. From the sound of things one was for elemental training, one for team combat, and the third was dueling. The first two were being supervised by the two adults I didn't know—assistant instructors for the class, Cynder said—and the third was undoubtedly going to be headed by the Guardian himself once he was finished sorting out the groups.

"Novus, duels," Terrador called, pointing at the red dragon. "Flora, team combat. Cynder, elements. Spyro, duels."

I froze, quickly turning to look at Cynder as I felt my gut knot. Separation anxiety wasn't something I had struggled with in the past, and I especially wasn't expecting to feel it when the two of us were going to be in the same room, but there it was. Cynder either read my expression expertly or this had happened more than once before, but either way her response was immediate.

"You'll do great," she told me, gripping my paw and flashing a warm, confident smile. "Don't worry, it'll be no problem for you. Good luck."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I didn't get the chance because before I knew what was happening Cynder had leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. I froze again, this time with my face burning and my heart doing flips in my chest. I only snapped out of it when Novus waved his forepaw in front of my eyes.

"Hey, lover boy. You still in there?" He grinned. "Come on, let's get this show going."

I only realized then that Cynder and Flora had already walked off to join their groups. I coughed and shook my head.

"Sorry about that," I said. "She just...caught me by surprise."

Novus laughed. "Yeah, I know. Just like the last two dozen times."

I blinked. "That many?"

"That's just the recent count," the fire dragon snickered. "But seriously, forget that for now. We're going to get in trouble if we don't get moving."

I jolted. "R-right. Sorry, I'm good. Let's go."

We hurried over to the sparring area, which was marked by a large ring carved into the stone floor. A few other dragons were already gathered, some stretching, others just talking. Novus moved over to an electricity dragon and struck up a conversation—another friend, probably. I lingered behind for a second more, turning back and trying to find Cynder across the room. I eventually spotted her facing a set of stationary straw dummies, a few other students warming up their aim around her while waiting for the evaluation to start.

As I watched, Cynder took up a wide stance and shot a barrage of elements at the dummies faster than my eyes could follow. Before I knew what was happening a glob of poison had hit one in the head, an orb of fear exploded when it hit another, a jet of wind punched a hole through the torso of a third and a plume of shadow fire incinerated the fourth and closest one. This all happened within maybe a second, at _most_. It took much longer than that to realize that I was standing there staring with my mouth hanging open. In that time she looked around, spotted me and winked.

...That's hot.

"Alright everyone," Terrador called out from right beside me, and I jumped when realized that he had walked over to our group after the last of the students had been divided up. "Let's get started. What we're going to be doing is a King of the Hill style contest. Two of you will duel inside the ring, and once a winner is decided a new challenger will enter to face them. Your goal is to either knock your opponent out of the ring or incapacitate them physically."

An ice dragon raised a wing, and Terrador nodded to him.

"Are there rules?"

Terrador nodded again. "Elements are allowed, but beware of hitting your observing classmates. Reckless elemental attacks will result in a forfeit, as will causing injury to your opponent or an observer. We're here to test you on what you've been learning, not to maim each other."

Several students nodded their heads obediently. Appearing satisfied, Terrador pointed at two of them.

"Berg, Tremor, you're up first. Begin when you're ready."

The two dragons walked out into the ring and faced each other while the rest of the students cleared the area. I followed suit, finding Novus after a bit of searching and sitting next to him when he waved me over. The duel began a moment later, the ice dragon—who I assumed was Berg—rushing Tremor in the blink of an eye. Tremor caught his charge and they began to grapple, the earth dragon clearly at an advantage.

Apparently realizing the same thing, Berg stabbed his tail blade into the floor and caused a sheet of ice to appear. Tremor slipped, allowing Berg to escape his grip and jump back to safety.

"Good disengagement," Terrador said approvingly.

The duel continued, and I could only watch in a sort of daze as the two dragons battled. Their skill and precision was impressive! Much more developed than mine had been the last time I had been in a battle—at least one that I remembered. I swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling like I might be out of my league.

How ironic was that?

"Hey. Relax," Novus said, nudging me with his elbow. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"But how am I supposed to keep up with that?" I whispered back.

Novus waved a paw dismissively. "You say the same thing at the start of every class. Trust me: You'll surprise yourself."

I frowned. 'Skeptical' wouldn't even begin to describe what I was feeling at that moment, but there was no time for me to argue. In the ring, Tremor had managed to pin Berg's legs in stone. While Berg tried to break the rock with his ice, Tremor wasn't letting up and kept repairing the stone with his own power. Eventually Terrador signaled the end of the round.

"Tremor wins. Good work both of you in using your element conservatively. Now, for the next challenger let's have..."

Please not me please not me please not me ple—

"Spyro, how about you?"

Damn it!

I couldn't move or answer for what felt like ages, knowing that at that moment everyone's eyes were on me. Going out there was going to be a disaster! What did Terrador hope I was going to accomplish? The only thing I was going to manage to do was embarrass myself! I mean, sure, I was a good fighter and all. I did beat Malefor, and...

Wait a minute. Why was I so scared of this? I beat _Malefor_! There was no way one earth dragon who hadn't even reached adulthood could compare to _him_ , trained or not!

I couldn't believe how timid this memory thing had made me. I was better than this!

I tipped forward unexpectedly, and after catching myself I looked back to see that Novus had given me a push toward the ring. I scowled at him, but even so I stood up and walked into the ring across from Tremor. He was watching me with an unwavering expression. I had to give him credit: He didn't look intimidated. He settled into a combat stance and I mimicked it.

"Begin," Terrador said.

I did just that, rushing forward similarly to what Berg had done, but after watching the previous fight I knew that a direct assault wasn't going to work against an opponent this solid. Tremor hunkered down, ready to catch my charge, and that was when I jumped. I saw surprise register in his eyes for a split second when I flew over his head and I wound up for a hit to his back, but he quickly rolled out of the way before I could land it. By the time I touched down he was already back on his paws and facing me.

I tried again, this time aiming for a claw strike to his chest. He blocked with his own claws, spinning me off balance, and when I looked up I saw his clubbed tail swinging right for me. Thinking fast, I called up a wall of ice to blo—

Where was the ice?

The club hit me square in the chest while I was distracted, and I felt my breath rush out of me all at once. Before I knew it I had been knocked on my back, my chest burning like crazy. I vaguely heard a collective "Oooh..." from my classmates.

So apparently my elements didn't work. Wonderful.

Groaning from the pain in my chest, I rolled over onto my paws and stood up. Despite feeling dazed and in pain, I was still fully aware that Tremor could have easily pinned me while I was down and ended the fight right there. Maybe he held back out of courtesy because of my condition—maybe he had known already that my elements were out of action and was _expecting_ this to happen—and I wasn't sure whether to feel grateful or irritated. Either way, I had to refocus on my opponent and I braced for the next round.

This time I knew that I was at a disadvantage. He had his element, and I didn't have any of mine—I checked, and not a single one of them worked when I tried to call them up. That was a problem. My elements were normally a key part of my fighting style. Without them I felt defenceless. This was going to be rough...

I was right. This time Tremor pushed the attack, swinging with his forepaws and horns. I somehow managed to deflect every blow, but when he started using bursts of his element to trip me up he started getting hits through. He was forcing me back toward the edge of the ring with each slash and punch. I needed some kind of opening!

That was when Tremor lunged forward to deliver a paw strike to my chest, probably to knock me back and out of the ring, and I thought for sure I was done for. My body, however, seemed to have other ideas. Without even realizing what I was doing, I ducked low and swung my wing upward to deflect his paw. The parry forced Tremor's strike to miss high, and his own momentum carried him forward right into my horns, which I planted straight into his gut with as much force as I could gather—the curved parts, not the points. Instinctual as it was, I still regretted it. He was as solid as...well...earth. The impact rattled my skull and jarred my neck painfully. Was it supposed to make that crunching sound? Regardless, I apparently wasn't done yet. With a burst of strength I didn't know I had, I reared back and tossed Tremor right over me. He landed roughly on the ground behind me and rolled, coming to a stop in a heap a few feet away.

Outside of the ring.

I stared, my eyes going wide as I processed what had just happened. How did I do that? I hadn't even had time to think! My body had just reacted on its own. When had I learned to do that?

Applause came from the watching students, a few of them calling out congratulations—Novus notably among them. Then Terrador spoke up.

"Excellent counter, Spyro," he said, smiling widely. "That's what I was hoping to see. You advance."

"Uh..." I stammered, still in shock. "Thanks, but...I don't get it. What did I do?"

"That was a defensive melee technique that we've been working on recently. Using an opponent's mass and momentum against them is a particularly useful strategy, especially in the absence of elements to aid in self-defence."

I looked up at him quickly. "Yeah, about that. I'm...guessing that my elements not working isn't a new thing?"

Terrador's face clouded slightly. "Unfortunately not. You haven't had use of any of your powers since you reversed the destruction of the world. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no, it's okay," I told him. Unexpected as it was, I still didn't really feel surprised...as strange as that sounded to say in my head. I certainly didn't want anyone else feeling down or uncomfortable about it, though. "If that's just how it is, then...well, fine."

I saw Terrador give me a small smile. "A very mature answer, as always. I do admire your resilience, my young friend. You've been able to take so much in stride these last few years."

I couldn't help but give a slightly awkward smile in return. "Thanks. But, I'm still curious. How did I know how to do that technique?"

"Muscle memory. It has proven quite useful with your condition. Even if you can't remember your lessons, your body remembers what actions to perform given enough repetition."

"Oh. Well...cool, I guess."

Terrador chuckled. "Indeed. Now, let's continue with our assessment. Tesla, we'll have you for our next match."

An electricity dragon stepped into the ring, giving me a quick nod as he did so. At the same time Tremor walked over to me, coming to a stop facing me and staring hard into my eyes for a moment. I shifted, starting to feel uncomfortable, but it was then that he held out a forepaw. I was surprised at first and not sure how to react, but eventually I shook his paw with my own and his harsh gaze turned to one of respect.

"Good fight," he told me.

"Yeah," I answered, nodding and giving a quick smile. "You too."

He returned the nod, and after that he turned about and walked out of the ring. With him gone, I faced Tesla. The electricity dragon looked ready and eager to begin. I settled into a ready stance of my own, pushing the pain from my bruised chest aside and focusing myself. No elements, and a fast opponent from the looks of him. This one could be tough.

But, it could also be fun. My confidence was rising after my last battle, and now I was curious what other moves I knew without knowing I did. However things turned out, it was definitely going to be interesting.

From the side of the ring, Terrador called, "Begin."

* * *

 **Well, it's happened. Apparently I'm now officially an adult.**

 **From what Cynder tells me, in dragon culture someone is declared an adult when they turn twenty-five. She said my hatchday was a couple of days ago. I was a little bit surprised that there was no entry in here from that night, but maybe I just couldn't write one for some reason? I don't really know.**

 **The weird thing is that I'm not sure I feel any different than I did when my memory was still working right. Or...maybe? It's hard to tell. It's so strange. Fighting Malefor feels like it happened yesterday...but at the same time it doesn't. I don't know how, but I can just tell that these memories are from a long time ago. It's so weird, but that's just the thing I'm talking about: With the amount of time that's passed, would I even know if I felt different now?**

 **Actually, no. That's not true. I do feel different. I feel happy.** _ **Extremely**_ **happy. Cynder seemed really happy tonight too. Something happened. Something good. I don't know what it is, but honestly I don't really care. I don't want this feeling to ever end. Memories or no memories, it doesn't matter.**

 **I feel...whole.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

This had to be Volteer's doing.

He was the only one of the Guardians that I would ever expect to put something like this together. Terrador was way too serious and he had that military sort of discipline to everything he did, and Cyril...he was too... _proper_. Volteer was the only one who was both enthusiastic and down-to-earth enough to pull a party like this off.

Not to say that the other Guardians weren't there, of course, or that they weren't enjoying it. I could see them smiling even now, but they did so off to the side, observing rather than participating. Volteer was the one in the thick of it, keeping everything on track.

Who knew that he could organize a hatchday party like this, though?

There were people everywhere! We were currently inside some huge, grandiose banquet hall or ballroom or something, with rows of tables and benches, appetizers of all types and colours on a buffet table to the side, and decorations everywhere. A band consisting of a mix of strings, flutes and drums was playing a set of lively tunes, and a large patch of clear floor in front of the small stage was filled with guests of all species dancing and enjoying themselves. It was complete organized chaos, and it was both overwhelming and fantastic.

It was an extremely surreal feeling, only knowing that it was my hatchday because it was my name on the banner hanging above the main entranceway inside the hall. That, and the very obvious purple and gold theme to the decorations. It was almost as weird as the realization that everything around me looked much smaller than I remembered, such as the moles that had come up to my chin the first time I was in Warfang, but now that barely passed my elbow. Even the Guardians didn't look nearly as massive or imposing as they had used to. I barely had to look up at all to meet them eye to eye. They still had about two heads over my height, but still!

The banner said that it was my twenty-fifth hatchday today. My last memory, defeating Malefor, was when I was a bit shy of sixteen.

Where the heck did the last ten years _go_?

"Hey!" a familiar voice called out suddenly, jolting me out of my thoughts and making me jump.

I looked ahead and saw Sparx hovering in front of me, smirking. Seeing him had been one of the biggest shocks in all of this. I almost didn't recognize him when I first saw him...at some point before now. He looked almost like a golden coloured version of our father!

"What's the big deal, sitting here all anti-social like when there's a party going on?" he joked, waving a hand at the festive scene. "You're supposed to be the star of this show! Instead, I'm the one that has to take all the attention."

I grinned back at him, holding back a laugh. "Oh, how can you stand it? You're normally so quiet and reserved."

"I know! Oh, poor me. I'll be ruined at this rate!"

We both laughed quietly, but a second after that Sparx became a touch more serious.

"So, is there something wrong? You looked like you were having fun until a moment ago."

"Yeah, I was," I nodded quickly. "I mean, I am. It's a great party! I just started to feel kind of...I don't know. Out of place."

Sparx cocked his head at me, looking genuinely baffled. "But it's _your_ party."

"I know, I know. But the thing is just that I don't know any of these people. They're all greeting me and congratulating me on coming of age and all that, and I'm just standing there thinking, 'Thanks, but I have no idea who you are...'"

"And? News flash, pal: That's what being famous is like, even without amnesia."

"I know that, Sparx," I groaned, annoyed. At the same time, in the back of my head I thought, _Amnesia? Well, that makes sense..._ "I'm not talking about strangers, though. I'm talking about the people that say they actually know me, like Flora, and..." I frowned, a name on the tip of my tongue. "There was another one...N...Nov..."

"Novus," Sparx offered.

"Yeah! Him! And uh...Scarlett? And...um..."

I let out a loud groan, giving up. There had been others that had introduced themselves as friends of me and Cynder. Neighbours. Old classmates. Training partners. It was just too much at once to keep straight in my head.

"Hey, bro, it's okay," Sparx cut in, his tone shifting to one of comfort. "I get it. This isn't the first time you've talked about feeling this way. It's a lot to handle all at once."

"I'm just not really a fan of big events like this," I sighed. That was something I _could_ remember. It had always been that way. "I find it hard to believe that I would want something like this for my hatchday."

"Well, it _was_ a surprise," Sparx pointed out. "We kept it a secret."

I looked up at him dubiously, but I felt a tiny hint of a smirk starting to form. "Isn't that kind of...redundant?"

Sparx also grinned. "Well, yeah, but it was fun. And I know you're not crazy about making a big deal of things, but this kind of is a big deal. It's not every day a dragon comes of age, you know. You're a full-blown adult now, big guy!"

I was quiet for a moment, mixed feelings filling me. I was proud, but also at the same time I felt a pang of...regret? Was that the word I was looking for? I was an adult, but what did that really mean for me? I still couldn't remember anything past fifteen. I had lost so much time...

"Yeah," I nodded, putting on a smile. "I guess it is a big step."

"Yeah it is," Sparx agreed, and I caught a mischievous undertone in his voice. "So, what's next? With all this newfound freedom, what is the mighty purple dragon going to do? A career in government? Conquer the world? Maybe...a certain someone we both know?"

He jabbed me with an elbow at that last one, and my face instantly heated up.

"Sparx!"

"What? You two are basically mates already. Don't tell me you're not interested!"

"I'm not dignifying that with an answer."

"Ah. Good old 'no comment', huh? See? You do know how to be famous!"

"Sparx..."

"Hey! Speak of the literal devil!"

Sparx waved to someone to my right, and when I looked I saw Cynder walking toward us with a glowing spot of almost pure white light following beside her—another dragonfly. She was smiling broadly at me, her scales and horns shining in the light of the hall's many torches. She looked like a smaller, less sinister, much more cheerful version of her corrupted form, and it was stunning. Even though I knew I had seen her earlier in the party, I was still lost for words for a moment.

"And where did you slink off to?" Sparx quipped as Cynder and the other dragonfly reached us. "Off poisoning someone's food?"

"Please," Cynder scoffed with a grin and a flick of her head. "Poisoning meals is so unrefined and error-prone. Which plate is whose? What do you add the poison to? How do you know if the person doesn't like something and won't touch it? No, it's just a mess. Drinks are a much simpler option." A gleam appeared in her eye. "Like the one you had a couple of minutes ago."

Sparx gave a mock gasp. "I knew it! I knew it tasted off! Well, I hope you're happy, babe. Your best friend just confessed to murdering me."

The female dragonfly hovering beside Cynder covered her mouth and snickered while Cynder and Sparx glared at each other. I could easily tell that that they were just fooling around, though. There was no animosity in Sparx's accusations, unlike the jabs he had made about her during our past adventures, and Cynder was grinning cheekily the whole time. In spite of their bickering, it was a joy to see them having fun together like this.

"You two are impossible," the other dragonfly laughed, shaking her head before turning her attention to me instead and smiling. "Hi again, Spyro."

I smiled back. "Hi...uh..." I frowned as my memory failed me again. I _knew_ her name was in there. We had met earlier. She was with Sparx...Oh! Right! "Celeste! Hi. I hope you're enjoying the party."

"Absolutely!" Celeste answered eagerly. "We never have any events this big back at the swamp. It's always a blast coming to visit. Happy hatchday again, of course."

"Thank you," I said with a grateful bow of my head.

"So," Sparx spoke up, sliding over to Celeste's side and putting an arm around her. It clicked in my head that they were together. Dating? No, wait. Mates—Dear Ancestors, Sparx had a _mate_! "Where did you girls disappear to? I was starting to think you had ditched us."

"Now, would we do that?" Celeste answered innocently, but with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Them being together was already making more sense.

"Yes," Sparx answered, deadpan. "At least you would. Cynder, I'm not so sure about. Those two might as well still have those snake collar things attached."

Cynder grinned and sat down beside me, nuzzling my jaw tenderly. A smile instantly grew on my face, and I actually felt rather disappointed when she stopped.

"Hey, handsome," she said to me, and my cheeks turned slightly warmer again.

"Hi," I answered, smiling again. "So, where _did_ you get off to?"

"We were just chatting," she explained finally. "It's been a while since Celeste and I were able to get away for a bit of girl talk."

"Oh?" Sparx spoke up. "And what were you chatting about?"

"None of your business," Celeste laughed.

"So, us," Sparx stated. "I thought I felt my ears burning."

I watched as the two females chuckled and exchanged a look, though I did notice both of them glance my way for an instant, then back at each other. I was confused, but I still laughed along with them after a second. It was at that moment that I spotted a mole walking toward us carrying a tray of refreshments. I realized that I _was_ feeling a little thirsty, so when he stopped at our group I reached for one of the glasses.

"Oh, wait. Not that one," Cynder said quickly, intercepting my paw with hers. "Alcohol doesn't play nice with your medicine."

I looked at her curiously, almost asking what she meant about 'medicine', but it didn't really feel worth it for some reason. I shrugged it off.

"How about..." Cynder hummed to herself, studying the selection of glasses on the tray. Soon she picked up a small round glass with a fruity red colouring, sniffing at it curiously, then giving it a quick taste. I saw her eyes brighten. "Yep, that'll work."

She passed the glass to me, then took a drink for herself from the tray—purposely selecting the same kind that she had just given me, I noticed. Looking down at the glass, I slowly mimicked her earlier actions. There was a strong scent of citrus, and the taste was quite pleasant. I turned to Cynder with an approving look.

"Thanks," I told her, smiling. She gave me a broad smile back.

"Aww. You two are always so cute together," Celeste said, causing me to cough awkwardly. Instead of answering I went to take another gulp of the punch. "Reminds me of us before the kids, Sparx."

I gagged and instantly spit out my mouthful of drink. _What?!_ Kids? _Sparx?_ I did _not_ see that coming!

"Wow," Sparx said, watching the fruit-coloured mist dissipating. "That's three for three today, babe. You're timing these on purpose, aren't you?"

Celeste crossed her arms and grinned, looking quite proud of herself. I coughed roughly, trying to clear my windpipe.

"That's not nice..."

"No, but I do have to admit, it doesn't get old either," Cynder snickered. I gave her a hurt glare, but she immediately disarmed it with a coy smile and I groaned. Damn this power she had over me...

We continued talking like that for a few minutes. It was difficult to focus sometimes, since the party was still roaring around us. The band was still playing, and their songs were picking up in speed. Most of the guests were dancing now, except for frequent stragglers that would come over to wish me a happy hatchday. It was very kind and thoughtful of them, certainly, but it also left me feeling a bit...flustered.

Eventually we were interrupted when Volteer wound his way through the crowded hall toward us. He greeted us all brightly and bowed his head to me while wishing me a happy hatchday. Like Celeste, it probably wasn't the first time he had done so today, but I appreciated it nonetheless.

"If you aren't presently occupied, perhaps you would like to accompany me," he said. "Someone has just arrived and they are quite eager to wish you their best."

"Oh. That must be Mom and Dad," Sparx said. My head perked up.

"Okay. Well, let's go then."

I started following Volteer as he turned back toward the front of the hall, but that was when I barely noticed Cynder, Sparx and Celeste trading a look with each other out of the corner of my eye. Was something wrong? I turned a confused look toward them.

"What is it?"

"Nothing!" Sparx answered—a bit too quickly. "Never mind. Are we going?"

He moved past me, Celeste with him. Cynder stepped up to my side a moment later, nudging me with her snout and catching my tail with hers. She smiled at me again.

"After you," she told me.

I paused to give her a questioning look, but she maintained her smile. I eventually relented and smiled back, but behind Cynder's cheerful look I could just pick up on a hint of tension. There was definitely something they weren't telling me.

What wouldn't they want to tell me?

I shook the feeling off. Volteer's mystery guests were waiting. If it was my parents then I was becoming quite excited. This would be my first time seeing them since I left the swamp three years ag—Wait, wait, no. That was wrong. It was more than three years, and come to think of it there was no way I hadn't seen them at all in the _thirteen_ years that had passed since I left home. Still, it felt like a first reunion to me, and that excitement wouldn't leave me.

I was in for more than one surprise, as it turned out. We caught up to Volteer at a table near the entrance where a small group had gathered around a cloaked newcomer, including the other Guardians, Sparx and Celeste. It only took me a second to place the stranger as a cheetah, with mostly yellow fur and a couple of greying patches ringing his jaw line and ears, as well as the tip of his tail. As if noticing our approach, he turned toward us and...Wait, Hunter? That was Hunter! I almost couldn't believe it!

"Greetings, my friends," Hunter said when he spotted us, giving a small bow and a smile. "It's very good to see you again."

"You too, Hunter," Cynder answered warmly. I was a bit surprised when she stepped forward and pulled him into a one-winged hug. Apparently she had become more openly affectionate than I last remembered during the war, but I couldn't say I had anything to complain about in that case. "We're glad that you could make it. Aren't we, Spyro?"

My head jerked up at being called on, but I recovered quickly and nodded. "For sure."

Hunter gave me a large smile and stepped up to me, gripping my shoulder with his hand. That was when I realized that I was looking down at him, which felt just a bit weird.

"I believe congratulations are in order," he told me. "A quarter century is quite a milestone for dragons. You have my best wishes for your future."

"Thank you."

"So how was your trip?" Cynder then asked.

"Smooth travels, for the most part," Hunter replied. "You'll be pleased to hear that my cargo arrived safe and sound as well."

He gestured with a paw to a sort of open-faced basket that was sitting on the table, the inside padded in the shape of a small seat. A chuckle sounded from within it, and that was when I finally noticed its occupants. Upon spotting them, I instantly froze.

Oh...

"Cargo?" my mother chuckled. "Please. You make us sound like a burden."

"You can't tell us we're that heavy, Hunter," my father joked. "You really are getting old!"

I couldn't believe my eyes. I should have expected this, considering how much I had grown, but it still blindsided me somehow. Mom and Dad...When I left home, they looked like they were in their primes. Now, though...

I was having a hard time processing it. The most obvious sign of advanced age was their severely faded glows, Dad's looking especially pale compared to usual. Mom was looking the better of the two, but there were still obvious wrinkles around her eyes and her form wasn't as trim as before. Dad in contrast had become very thin. It almost looked like I could break him just by breathing on him. He was also missing the end of one of his wings. A run-in with a frogweed or bulb spider, maybe?

Ancestors, they looked old...

"Hey!" Cynder greeted them joyfully, leaning her head down toward them. My parents both reached up and hugged the tip of Cynder's snout when it was close enough. "It's so great to see you guys again. We were starting to worry that you weren't going to be able to make it tonight."

"My apologies," Hunter said sheepishly. "That would be my fault. Rain had softened up much of the ground in the area, and I neglected to leave enough time to account for that when I departed Avalar to get them."

"Now, now, Hunter did a fantastic job to make up as much time as he could," Mom said quickly in his defence. "And we're very grateful for that. We wouldn't dare miss this day for anything. Spyro, come here. Let me see my grown up boy."

I didn't register what she had said for a second. I was still too stunned, but quickly enough I clued in and realized the way that I was staring. I shook my head roughly. How would I feel if someone was looking at me that way? I put on another smile and stepped closer, lowering my head down the way Cynder had and letting my parents hug my muzzle.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad," I said, keeping my head as still as I could to avoid hurting them. The hug was already making me feel much better. "It really is great to see you. Thanks for coming."

"Of course, Son," Dad told me. "Like your mother said: We wouldn't miss this. Happy hatchday. We're both so proud of you."

My smile grew significantly. Regardless of any visits that may have occurred in the years I had lost, it still felt like I had been through a whole war since the last time I saw my parents. Seeing them now and hearing them say that to me was more than just heartwarming. It lifted my spirits more than this entire party had so far.

"Oh, look at you," Mom gasped. "My little one, all grown up into a big gentle giant. I can hardly believe that we thought you were big when you hatched! I can never get over the fact that your head now is almost bigger than your entire body was back then!"

"Not to mention being about a thousand pounds lighter then," Sparx added.

I glared at him, but everyone else laughed.

"Well, now that all of our expected guests have made their arrival, perhaps this is the appropriate time to partake in the feast that the moles have so masterfully prepared for this joyful, prestigious, honourable occasion," Volteer said eagerly. "I shall go and inform the chefs."

He hurried off before anyone could say anything. I turned a surprised and confused look toward the other two Guardians.

"Feast?" I asked. "Doesn't that seem like a bit...much?"

My breath caught as soon as I said that. How ungrateful could I sound?! Before I could correct myself, though, Terrador let out a chuckle.

"Perhaps, but everyone enjoys a chance for a big celebration from time to time, and your coming of age is the perfect opportunity."

"You underestimate what you represent to the world," Cyril added. "I guarantee that this isn't the only gathering taking place today. The citizens of the Dragon Realms want to celebrate your life with you. Don't question the merit of it. Accept this gift from them."

I hesitated, struck by the Guardians' words and trying to decide how I felt about them. Eventually I nodded, smiling despite myself when Cynder licked my cheek encouragingly. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she agreed with them.

A minute later Volteer called out from the centre of the room and announced that the food was being served. The guests started moving as one toward a doorway that seemed to lead to an adjoining dining hall. Sparx was through the door almost instantly, Celeste chasing after him and scolding him half-teasingly as she flew. The Guardians joined the crowd next, and Hunter picked up the basket with my parents and carried them through the crowd soon after, leaving me and Cynder alone. I lagged behind for a second, watching them, and a hollow feeling settled in my chest. I jumped slightly when I felt Cynder rub her shoulder against mine and nuzzle me again.

"You okay?" she asked.

I nodded quickly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...a bit of a shock." I paused to shoot her a quick, crooked smile. "But I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard that, is it?"

She didn't laugh or grin back. Her expression remained serious and compassionate, and it was apparent that she had no desire to make light of my troubles. "It's not, but that doesn't matter. I know it's hard on you."

I sighed and nodded again, slowly. "Yeah, a bit..."

"But," she continued forcefully, levelling a talon at me, "what I want to see right now is you walking in there with a smile on your face. No moping on your hatchday, hero. I'm sure that's not what your parents would want."

Her change in tone caught me unprepared, but a second later I turned thoughtful. "You're probably right."

"As usual."

And there it was: the teasing I expected. I chuckled, and that was when she finally grinned at me.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now, how about that smile?"

One formed on my muzzle before I even tried, and Cynder nodded approvingly.

"Not bad, but I think you can do better. And I think I know just the thing to help you out. Close your eyes. I have an early gift for you."

I tilted my head in confusion, but nonetheless I obeyed her request. I was only left wondering what she had planned for a few seconds before I suddenly felt the tip of her lips press against my own. My eyes instantly snapped open as if to confirm what was happening. Yep. She was kissing me! Warmth immediately spread throughout my body as my heart started pounding. When she pulled away a short while later I was left dizzy and had a lopsided smile plastered across my face.

"Do you like it?" she asked me teasingly.

"I love it," I answered without hesitation.

She smiled broadly at me. "Perfect. Now, let's go join the others."

Feeling my confidence renewed, I stood up and Cynder did the same beside me. Without really thinking about it I pulled her closer with my wing and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. Part of it was gratitude, and partly it just felt like the right thing to do in that moment. Cynder gave a contented hum in response. After that we walked through the doors into the dining hall together.

The rest of the party passed in a sort of blur, but a very enjoyable one. The feast was delicious, and by the end of it I was so full that I felt like I could pass out on the spot and sleep for a week. The crowd of guests called for a speech, though, ensuring that this didn't happen. I gave the best one I could, which really was just me thanking them for coming and their kind wishes, but even so they all cheered when I was done. The dancing and music resumed after that. Cynder even dragged me out to dance for one or two songs. Actually, I didn't embarrass myself quite as badly as I was afraid I would. We must have practiced at some point.

After that my family, the Guardians, Hunter, and mine and Cynder's friends that I didn't really know—Novus and Flora—retired to a side room to rest and talk away from the noise. Gifts were given during this time. The one that really struck me the most was the one from my family: the small, petrified mushroom cap that had served as a decoration in my little shelter when I had been a child in the swamp. I'd kept it because of the unusual swirl of colour on its top—a shade or purple, instead of the common reds and browns—that would still glow faintly in the dark. It was such a deceptively simple gift, but it meant more than I could describe. Now, no matter where I found myself living with no recollection of my time spent there, I would always have something familiar to make it feel like home.

I felt a sting in my eyes, and I quickly brushed my forepaw across them. After that my gaze found my parents, both of them watching me with large smiles.

"Thank you," I said, emotion thick in my voice. "This is..."

"You're very welcome, Spyro," Mom answered, seemingly knowing what I wanted to say even when I couldn't find my words. "We thought you might appreciate it."

"Hopefully this can help make things feel a little less confusing for you," Dad said.

"I know it will," I nodded quickly. "This is so great." I looked up at Sparx and Celeste. "Were you guys in on this too?"

"You know we were," Sparx chuckled, crossing his arms. "Who do you think suggested it as a gift in the first place?"

"Celeste?" Cynder quipped.

"Hey!" Sparx exclaimed indignantly, and the rest of the group laughed.

I looked back down at the mushroom cap in silence after that, cradling it between my forepaws delicately and letting the memories from my childhood come forward. The others simply observed quietly for a short while, allowing me to have this moment, and I was extremely grateful for that. Eventually, though, Flora spoke up.

"So, I guess that just leaves your gift, huh Cynder?"

She had a knowing sort of smile on her face. Did she already know what the gift was? Cynder also smiled, an eager look in her eyes.

"I guess it is that time, isn't it?" she said, rising to her paws. "Well, I suppose that means we're going to be taking our leave now."

I looked at her in confusion. "We're leaving? Where are we going?"

"That's part of the surprise, silly," she snickered.

"O-oh," I stammered, feeling a bit flustered. "But..."

I looked around at our gathered friends, feeling guilty for bailing on them during the party that they had thrown in my honour. My gaze especially hung on my parents, who were both watching me with warm smiles. I had barely spent any time with them so far tonight, and now I was leaving? That didn't seem fair after the trip they'd made to be here.

It seemed that they knew what I was thinking before I could even say anything. Parental intuition, undoubtedly.

"Don't worry, Son," Dad said with an encouraging nod. "Go on. We'll see you when you two get back. We aren't going back to the swamp for a few more days."

"Go and enjoy yourself," Mom added. "And happy hatchday."

Their reassurances were enough to relieve most of the guilt I felt, and with another huge smile covering my muzzle I stepped in for another hug. Mom, Dad, Sparx and Celeste all joined in, practically covering my whole face with their arms. When I finally pulled away a moment later I turned to Cynder and nodded.

"Let's go."

The excitement in her eyes seemed to grow even stronger, and with a quick farewell to the rest of the group she left the side room and disappeared into the main hall. I followed after thanking everyone for the gifts and the party, finding Cynder just as she was accepting a satchel from a light red-scaled dragoness. Oh, right! Scarlett.

"What's in the bag?" I asked as I joined them.

"Money," Cynder replied, shaking the satchel lightly and causing the clinking of coins to be heard. "And your medicine. We're going to be gone for the next couple of days, so I asked Scarlett to bring extra."

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "A couple of days? You still haven't even said where we're going."

"And I'm still not going to," Cynder replied cheekily. "You're just going to have to trust me."

I fumbled for a second from this blunt refusal, but in the end I relented with a sigh.

"Well, I suppose I can do that."

"I'm glad to hear it. Now, I think that's everything we need. If you're ready, let's go."

I nodded in response, and together we turned toward the main doorway.

"Have a good time!" Scarlett called brightly.

We exited the hall a moment later, and when we did I was surprised to see that it was daylight out. I had fully expected it to be dark, since why would anyone hold a party like this during the day instead of in the evening? Cynder gave a slight chuckle when I asked.

"We planned it this way," she explained. "Otherwise the two of us wouldn't have time to make it to our next destination, and I would have hated to have to wait for tomorrow for this."

"Wait, so _everyone_ else knows what this surprise of yours is?"

"Yep," Cynder answered with a large grin.

I groaned. Before I could ask again what this destination she kept hinting at was, she spread her wings and took to the sky. Calling after her in growing exasperation, I followed and soon we were both flying toward the southwest. The sun was just now beginning its descent ahead of us, signalling that it was fairly late in the afternoon, and I had to squint a bit from the glare.

We didn't talk much during the flight, happy enough to just enjoy each other's company. By the time an hour or so had passed, though, my curiosity was beginning to get the better of me. Without knowing where we were going, the only thing my mind could turn to was the gradual erasure of my memories of the party. I could no longer recall what I had eaten from the feast, though I knew there had been one, and bits and pieces following when the meal must have been were also beginning to fade. The people. The dancing. The laughing. I didn't want it to go.

I could barely even remember what the party had been for in the first place. Oh, wait. Of course. My hatchday. The gifts were a dead giveaway. And it was my twenty-fifth. That I did remember from the conversations with our friends. The age of adulthood for dragons, which meant...

What did that mean, exactly?

I asked Cynder, and she was all too happy to explain.

"Well, for starters, it's considered the age of responsibility in our culture," she stated. "It's the start of true independence. A dragon's parents or guardians don't have any control over their life choices anymore. It's all up to them. It's also the minimum age for things like enlistment, or for apprenticeships in many careers like Guardianship."

"Oh, okay," I said, nodding along. "What else?"

"Well..." she continued more slowly, and I frowned in confusion when she turned her head away bashfully. That seemed a bit unlike her to me. "...It's also the age where dragons are considered old enough to take a mate."

My face instantly went red beneath my scales. Well, that certainly explained her sudden shyness. Taking a...Wow. I should have expected that one, but somehow I hadn't.

Was I ready for that kind of step? It felt strange, and honestly kind of awkward to think about given that in my last memory I was barely into adolescence. But even as I thought that I found my eyes getting drawn to Cynder as she flew, to her graceful adult features, to her curves, and the flowing, controlled way she moved through the sky...

Gah! Spyro, get a hold of yourself! If I kept thinking like that, I was going to get myself in trouble! Would Cynder even want...Wait, she was looking at me. What was that smile? Oh, Ancestors, I was starting, wasn't I? Did she see me staring? What if she knew what I was thinking? Oh, dear Ancestors, kill me now...

"Hey! Spyro, look!"

"Ah!" I yelped. "Huh? What? What is it?"

Cynder laughed, shaking her head. "We're here."

I frowned, my panic instantly replaced by confusion. "We're where?"

Grinning in amusement, she pointed below us. I looked and faltered, almost missing a beat of my wings. We had flown over the coastline without me even realizing it, and down below us I could see a wide, pristine white sand beach bordered by sheer cliff faces. In the orange light of the sun that was just beginning to set I could make out a set of bamboo huts with thatched roofs spaced around the base of the cliffs, a larger central building located against the back cliff wall. There was also a strange sort of luminescence coming up from the cliffs and in patches under the water, but I couldn't make out the cause.

"Wow," I breathed out. "It's incredible! What is this place?"

"It's called Crystal Bay," Cynder answered. "It's a private beach, and it's very exclusive. You can only get in by either paying a huge amount of money, or by invitation."

"Oh. So, how are we getting in?"

Cynder grinned smugly and reached into her satchel, pulling out two folded pieces of parchment sealed with wax. "Invitation."

I gave a wide-eyed look that was both surprised and impressed.

"Really? Wow. Were those hard to get?"

"Not really," she grinned. "I know four words that can open a lot of doors."

"Yeah? What are they?"

"'The purple dragon wants'."

I faltered again, my pace slowing down. "Cynder, I...I don't know if I'm okay with that. I mean—"

I was cut off when Cynder turned around in the air to hover facing me, her paw placed against my mouth. The smile she gave me quickly eased my worries.

"I know taking advantage of your status makes you uncomfortable," she told me gently. "I promise I don't abuse it. But this is my hatchday gift to you, and I wanted to make it as special as I could."

She removed her paw, and for a minute I just hovered there, frowning while I considered what she said. Slowly my concerns faded, though. I knew that I could trust Cynder, and that she wasn't going to use my name frivolously or unfairly. Plus, this _was_ a special occasion, after all...

"Okay," I nodded, offering a smile. "Thank you. I do appreciate you doing this for me. This place looks beautiful."

"I'm told it's the absolute best place to just escape everything," Cynder agreed eagerly. "And everyone says it's one of the most romantic getaways in the region for couples too, if you can afford it. I plan to take full advantage of that. For the next two days it's nothing but the two of us." Her smile turned into a smirk. "I hope that sounds acceptable to you."

I chuckled quietly. "That sounds fantastic."

That was clearly the right answer. She beamed at me like I had just made her year, and my heart practically melted. Two whole days with just her...It seemed like paradise already. It sounded incredibly sappy, but it was true. I had to give her credit: She knew _exactly_ what to get me for my hatchday.

"Well, enough hanging around here!" she declared suddenly, startling me. "We can't get this getaway started until we check in. Let's go."

Holding the invitations in her paw, she began an easy descent toward the cliffs. I followed her, and halfway down I noticed a large wind dragon flying up to meet us. Cynder drew to a halt as he pulled up in front of us, and at his request she held out the invitations for him to see. A glance at the seals was all he needed before he allowed us on our way with a respectful bow. After that he returned to his post overlooking the beach from above. I noticed a few more similar guards positioned along the cliff edge. From the looks of it, Cynder wasn't kidding when she said exclusive.

We entered the main building. The receptionist at the front desk was a kind female seal standing upright on her back flippers and wearing a blue sun dress. She greeted us in a suitably welcoming manner and accepted our invitations promptly, issuing us a number for one of the beach huts that would be ours for the length of our stay. After thanking her, Cynder and I walked out to the beach and found a free sun shelter made from the same materials as the buildings. As we walked I looked around and realized that the colourful glow I had noticed before was from massive formations of spirit gems that were growing out of the cliffs, covering the beach in their light. The glow in the water was from more similar crystal growths, some tall enough to poke up out of the water like tiny islands. It was pretty apparent where the beach got its name from now.

"So, what do you feel like doing first?" Cynder asked me as she deposited her bag underneath the curved sun shelter. "Want to relax, or go for a swim?"

I wasn't going to lie: Taking a moment to relax after our flight sounded like a very appealing option. That said, with how soft the sand felt under my paws right then, if I lay down then I probably wasn't getting back up that evening.

"A swim sounds nice," I answered. "Shall we?"

Cynder smiled. "Let's."

The water was perfect. It was clear, warm, and calm thanks to the cliffs that sheltered the beach from the main surf. Our swim was calm for the most part, but I admit that I couldn't resist the urge to splash around a bit when I noticed Cynder floating with her guard down at one point. A brief battle ensued after that.

She won, of course.

We emerged back on the beach a short while later, thoroughly tired from the flight and the swim, and the sun was truly setting by that point. We returned to the sun shelter, lying down in the sand together and letting the ocean breeze dry us off. An otter dressed in formal server's attire walked out to us without us even having to call, carrying a tray with a couple of glasses of water and wet cloths, which he set down on a small wooden table for us. I had to say I was impressed. This place had some very good service so far! I almost felt like royalty being here.

I picked up the cloth first, and all Cynder had to give me was a look for me to understand that she wanted hers as well. That was also kind of impressive, actually; that we had that level of non-verbal communication going. Well...actually, we'd had a fairly strong intuitive sense between us from pretty early on, didn't we?

"So?" Cynder spoke up, setting her cloth aside after wiping the dried salt off her face. "Who knows how to arrange a killer hatchday gift?"

I laughed, shaking my head at her 'humility'. "You are without a doubt the greatest gift giver alive. Compared to this, any other presents I got today have been erased from my memory."

She laughed along with me at that. At the same time my smile softened.

"Seriously, though. I doubt I've ever felt this happy. Thank you so much for doing this."

She stopped laughing as well, a tender look in her eyes. "It's my absolute pleasure. You have no idea how impressed and proud I am of the way you've handled this condition, and the way you've made me feel loved throughout it all. This really is the least I could do to repay you for that."

I felt a small blush forming, and I gave a bashful chuckle. My eyes turned away, but they were forced back to Cynder's own when she placed her paw against my cheek and turned my head back. We stayed stuck like that for a moment, but then slowly Cynder brought her head forward and I instinctually leaned in as well. Our snouts touched first, and a second later we pressed forward into a kiss.

Almost immediately Cynder pulled back with a short gagging sound. I looked up at her in confusion.

"Bleh!" she spat. "Ugh. Spyro, you still taste like salt! Did you even clean your face at all?"

"I did!" I said indignantly.

"Uh huh," she said, smirking at me. "Sure. Here. Give me that cloth. You're hopeless..."

She grabbed my cloth before I could stop her and began roughly scrubbing my face and mouth. I spluttered in protest, but she ignored me and grabbed my horn to hold me in place when I tried to pull back. Finally she stopped, lowering the cloth, and I was just about to make an irritated exclamation when suddenly her lips were against mine again. _That_ pretty much wiped out any argument I had right on the spot. The feeling that the kiss stirred inside of me...It was like I was flying without even needing my wings.

"That's better," she murmured when she eventually pulled away.

"Yeah..." was all I could get out in response. This seemed to amuse her greatly.

She let out a sigh of what I could only describe as bliss after that, and she lay down on her side looking out at the setting sun over the ocean, her back facing me. I scooted closer without a second thought, wrapping my foreleg around her middle and covering her with my wing like a blanket. It was a delicate matter to find a spot to rest my head without impaling myself on one of her many horns, but I somehow managed it without even really thinking as if it was something I had done a hundred times before. Actually, maybe I had.

It was utter peace after that point, and I could have stayed like that forever. Or, at least, I thought I could, but then my mind began to wander and my eyes swivelled to gaze around the beach. We weren't alone on it, I noticed. There were a few other dragons and assorted sea creatures in sight, some swimming but mostly all resting on the beach like us. Almost all of them were in pairs.

I vaguely remembered the age I turned that day. The conversation Cynder and I'd had about it was barely discernible against the haze that seemed to eat up any memory that I hadn't actively thought about for a while, but there was enough left to remember the gist of it. Her last comment especially stood out.

I cleared my throat quietly, fighting past a swell of nerves. There was more I wanted to know, more I wanted to ask her, and if I didn't do it now then I would lose the memory and I would miss this seemingly perfect chance. Seriously, when was it going to get any better than this? She'd practically laid it all out for me!

Huh. I wondered if that _was_ her plan?

No. That didn't matter. I had to do this now. I _wanted_ to do it. I couldn't chicken out of this.

"Hey...Cynder?"

"Hmm?" she hummed lazily in response.

"About our conversation earlier. I...I had a couple more questions on this whole 'coming of age' thing."

She didn't answer for a moment, but I could almost swear I saw her smiling from the small bit of her mouth that I could see from this position. A second later the end of her tail wrapped around mine, holding tightly.

"What did you want to know?" she asked me.

"Well..." I cleared my throat again, finding that it felt a little dry. I could get a drink from one of the glasses, but I really didn't want to move...Oh, just deal with it! "When a dragon...um...takes a mate, do they both have to be of age?"

"They do," she answered easily. She was _much_ more collected on this topic than I was, obviously.

"Okay." I hesitated, trying to think of how to word my next question without it sounding too blunt. I cursed myself when I couldn't come up with anything, so I just forced out, "Are you?"

This time I was sure she was smiling. She shifted so that she was pressed completely against me, which did _not_ help my composure. I was blushing fiercely at this point. She was definitely doing this on purpose!

"I am," she nodded, which caused our cheeks to rub together in the process. "My hatchday was two days ago."

That caught me a bit by surprise. I lifted my head to look down at her.

"It was?"

She faced me, smiling. "Yep."

"Was there a party for yours too?"

"There was. Not as big as yours, though. I wanted it to feel more personal, so it was just our friends. You got me an absolutely beautiful gift."

I cocked my head to the side. "What was it?"

"A carving made of emerald and obsidian, shaped like a black rose," she answered, with the largest, warmest smile I had seen yet. "You had it custom made by the finest craftsmen in Warfang."

"Really?" I looked off distantly, trying to imagine it. "I suppose I had help with that, huh?"

"Not as much as you think. Flora—our friend—took you out one day to look for gifts, and that was when you came up with the idea and placed the order with the craftsman. After that, she came to tell you when it was ready and that was it."

"Huh," I grunted, feeling a small swell of pride. "And you liked it?"

"I love it. It was incredibly sweet. When you gave it to me, you said it represented how beautiful and precious I am in your eyes, and that just like that rose, that feeling will never fade. I'm keeping it right beside the bed so that it's the first thing I see every morning, to remind me of that."

I just stared at her, surprised and processing this news. My chest felt like it was swelling with joy, and I could hardly form the words for my next question.

"I said something _that_ corny?"

Cynder punched my shoulder, almost knocking me over despite my larger size. Smaller or not, she was _strong_! I rubbed my shoulder with my forepaw, giving her a mock glare, but she wasn't fazed at all. Smirking, she lay back down in the sand and after a moment I returned to my earlier position as well, holding her close. My original train of thought returned to me slowly after that, though, and with it came the nerves that constricted my chest once more.

"Cynder, do you...Do you think I would make a good mate?" I asked hesitantly. The words almost didn't want to come out, afraid of the answer.

She didn't seem to react at first, but then she turned a thoroughly puzzled look toward me.

"What are you talking about?" she responded. "You would make a fantastic mate. You're the most caring, thoughtful, honest and noble dragon I know. Any female would dream of having a life partner like you."

"But my memory," I protested. "Wouldn't I just be a burden?"

Her eyes narrowed, and I shrank back. She actually looked angry at me for saying that.

"Spyro, don't sell yourself short," she told me firmly. "I'm not the only one that's put work into this relationship. You've been there for me every step of the way, always there to pick me up when I start to feel down, or overwhelmed, or second guess myself. Yes, it's true, the last ten years haven't been the easiest. Early on especially, it was _rough_. But it wasn't just hard on me. It was hard on both of us, and we made it through together. We always have."

I looked away again. I wasn't expecting that answer. I would have thought that with my memory screwed up the way it was that being with me would be a chore. Cynder seemed adamant that this wasn't true, though. I mean, my biggest desire _was_ to see her happy. No matter what happened with my memories, that wasn't going to change...

I didn't have any longer to dwell on these doubts. Cynder spoke up again, adopting a teasing sort of tone.

"So, now that that's out of the way, what is it you're really trying to ask me, Spyro?"

I faltered, feeling like my heart had just jumped into my throat. It was pretty obvious that she knew. There was no fooling her on anything. I knew that much from our time in the war. She knew what I wanted, and she wasn't going to let it go until I said it. I could just come out and ask her straight up, but that didn't seem right. I needed to make this meaningful, and special, just like she had done with this whole trip.

Well, no turning back now.

"Cynder," I began shakily. "I...I may not remember any of the time we've had together, but...there isn't any question about how I feel about you. I feel like...like there's nothing you wouldn't do for me, and for us. The kind of care and attention that must have gone into making this hatchday so perfect...That's the same kind of attention I want to show you. You are an amazing dragoness, Cynder, and I'm so, _so_ grateful that we're together. And I don't want that to ever change. I want to be able to call you mine, forever. I love you."

The look of joy on her face was indescribable. It was like she had just been given something she had wanted for her whole life. There were no tears or anything like that, but she was giving me the biggest, brightest smile imaginable, and her eyes...There were no words.

"I love you too," she said quietly. "So much."

I smiled weakly in return, my whole body feeling shaky and frail, like my limbs had turned to mush. For being the 'legendary' purple dragon, I didn't think I made a particularly impressive image right then. I was a mess! But, despite this, Cynder's smile gave me the courage to continue.

"Cynder...Would you accept a dragon like me to...to be your mate? With all of my problems, and all the work that must come with them, but also all the love I have for you? Would you let me try to make you happy, in what little spans of time I have to do it?"

She didn't respond right away, and my heart started beating more and more frantically as fear built inside of me. Her smile didn't waver, though, which was the only thing that let me keep it together. Then, without a word, she rolled herself over to face me and pushed me so that I was lying on my back. After that she pulled her upper body up so that she was lying with her chest on top of mine, staring down into my eyes.

"How's this for an answer?" she murmured.

She brought her head down, and I instinctually closed my eyes. We met in another kiss, but this one was on a whole other level from the last one. It completely removed the need for words to express our true feelings for each other. I couldn't tell whether we stayed like that for hours or just a few seconds, but eventually Cynder pulled away. This time I could see a trace of moisture at the corners of her eyes, accentuating her smile of pure happiness.

"I would love nothing more than to be your mate, Spyro. I can't imagine being with anyone else."

I beamed, excitement filling me to the point that I thought I was going to explode. She said yes! I couldn't believe it! Cynder was going to be my mate!

Best. Hatchday. Ever!

I was euphoric, and I couldn't form any kind of words in response. The only thing I could think of doing was holding Cynder tighter with my forelegs and pulling her in for one more kiss. I could have stayed like that for the rest of time and been perfectly satisfied. This moment was absolutely perfect.

All too soon, though, Cynder broke away again and spent a moment just gazing down at me fondly. I looked straight back into her eyes, a massive smile still stuck on my face. That was when some of my earlier concerns decided to worm their way back into my head, though.

How was this going to work? How could I make a meaningful addition to this new partnership? And what would we do when I forgot that I had even asked her to be my mate, and she had agreed? What would I think when she told me?

"So...now what?" I asked, giving voice to my worries.

Either she didn't interpret that the way I'd meant it, or she did and simply dismissed my fears for more...immediate matters. Whatever the case was, a devious, alluring smile crossed her lips and she chuckled quietly. I gulped as my face began to heat up, and I was sure my scales were turning bright red.

"Well, first you need your medicine," she said, motioning with her chin towards her bag. "After that, what do you say we head back to our hut, find a bath to get this sand cleaned off, and then..."

She leaned closer until we were face to face, running the side of her muzzle along mine as she moved toward my ear. Her voice lowered to a near whisper.

"...we can see about making this official?"

I shivered from the chill that her voice sent down my whole body, and for a second all I could do was stare back up at her in shock while she pulled her head back and grinned down at me. I didn't know how to respond, but at the same time I couldn't deny the thrill of excitement that I felt at her suggestion. It was...such an odd mixture of feelings. Surprise. Anxiety. Doubt. Desire...

Oh, dear Ancestors, did I _want_ this!

She seemed to take my silence as the answer she was looking for. With a highly pleased smile she stepped off of me and picked up her bag, backing away to let me up. My eyes never left hers as I did so, and when she turned toward our hut and started walking I followed obediently. She glanced back at me regularly, and when she did it was as if I could see my own feelings mirrored in her eyes. The same anxiety. The same longing. My heart was racing faster with every step.

This was really happening. It almost felt like a dream.

Please, oh please don't wake up...

Yeah, she had definitely planned this. I could tell from her smile that this was playing out exactly the way she had wanted. This place. The atmosphere. The feeling of seclusion and intimacy that it created. She was playing on my feelings like a pro.

And I had absolutely zero complaints.

* * *

 **(A/N): And there's chapter 3, all done. Thank you for reading, and hopefully this was a little less gloomy than the last two chapters were. Also, massive thank you to everyone who left reviews on the previous chapters! :D I'm thrilled with the reception this story has gotten so far, and I'm looking forward to hearing more of what you think!**

 **Until next time...**


	4. 4 - Joys and Trials

**(A/N): I'm late! D:**

 **I wanted to get this posted earlier today (well, yesterday, since it's now after midnight), but I was away from home all day and literally couldn't get this edited and ready to post any sooner than this. Oh well, I did my best.**

 **This chapter is huge. There's no way around it. Sticking with the theme of one "phase" of Spyro's life per chapter means I couldn't really break this up, so I guess you readers will just have to read it in sections. Sorry. ^^;**

 **Also, a bit of a warning: Some parts of this chapter might be a little...intense.**

 **At any rate, as always I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Well, I may not be able to remember anything from the past forty-some years (according to Cynder), but I think I can still confidently say that this was the scariest day of my life since fighting Malefor. All of those people, all staring at me...**

 **I hope public speaking isn't something I'm going to have to do often. I'm not cut out for it like this. I'm flattered that people think I can do it, but the stress...I really don't think it's good for me. I do have to admit, though: It did feel kind of good at the same time. Helping to welcome in the new Guardians is something I didn't really expect, but it was an honour that I'm grateful for.**

 **So many things have changed...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

"Alright, then, Spyro. It seems like everything with your medication is still in order. I'm not seeing any serious reactions to the stronger doses, I'm happy to say. Your alertness and concentration both appear normal, too, and your senses don't seem to be affected in any way."

I looked down at the elderly mole doctor, who had introduced himself as Trill on my arrival with Cynder. I couldn't help but smirk at his remark.

"All of my senses except my taste, maybe. Does it have to be _that_ bitter?"

"It does hit him pretty hard," Cynder chuckled from her seat beside the door. "But I think you're tough enough to handle it, Spyro."

I gave her a hurt glare, to which she just laughed. I could only sigh at that. It was easy for her to tease me about this. She didn't have to taste the stuff!

"Although," she continued, her expression becoming more serious as she looked at Trill again, "he has complained about some headaches since he started this last batch of medication."

I looked at her questioningly. I felt fine at the moment, but that didn't sound particularly pleasant if it was true. Was this a new thing? How bad were they?

"Oh?" Trill said. "Well, that's unexpected, but not entirely surprising I suppose. This treatment is certainly putting a considerable strain on his damaged memory capacity, enhancing it with magic like we are. Maybe we're reaching the limits of how far we can push it. Tell me, Spyro: What is the earliest thing you remember—after your battle with the Dark Master, of course."

"Well..." I answered slowly, concentrating. At length I gave a small shrug. "Just waking up this morning."

"Nothing at all before that? Not even faint traces of anything from the night before?"

I shook my head apologetically. "No, I don't think so. Just...when I woke up, I sort of knew without asking that my memory wasn't working right, and it didn't really feel like that much of a surprise when Cynder told me we were mates, but I think that was mostly just context. Everything else came from my journal."

"I see. So, still no overlap from the previous day, then. That means there's no real improvement from the last concentration." He frowned, scratching his chin. He seemed disappointed, and I actually felt a bit guilty for making him feel like that. "Well, in that case it seems like there isn't any real benefit to staying with the stronger formula. Would you prefer going back to the previous strength?"

I paused, considering the offer for a second. Cynder gave her answer in the meantime.

"If it means less side effects for him then I would say yes," she nodded. "If the stronger medicine isn't giving him any longer memory then I don't really see the point."

Trill hummed thoughtfully. "And Spyro? What do you think, my boy?"

I was briefly distracted from the question while I held back a chuckle. There was something amusing about him using the term 'my boy' when I literally towered over him—I still wasn't completely used to that, either. My mind returned to the present matter fairly quickly, though.

"You don't think the stronger medicine will have an effect if we give it more time?" I asked. It seemed like they were giving up on this pretty quickly, and I was curious as to why.

"You've already been on it for well over two months," Trill told me, which caused me to blink in surprise. I guess it _wasn't_ so quick. "Honestly, it was a bit of a stretch anyway. The last increase in the red gem concentration a year ago only boosted your memory by a few minutes at most. If there isn't any indication of progress from the new formula at this stage then I would say there isn't going to be any, or at least it would be an inconsequential amount. It wouldn't be worth the headaches—figuratively and literally speaking."

"Oh. Well, in that case I agree with Cynder."

"So do I," Trill nodded. "Well then, I believe that concludes our business here. I'll have Scarlett begin mixing up a new batch of the previous formula. It should be ready for you tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, doctor," Cynder said, rising to her paws at the same time and giving him a bright smile. "I know I say it all the time, but we both really appreciate all of your help."

"Yeah, thank you," I agreed quickly. As unfamiliar as I was with this mole, it was obvious that he was playing a pretty crucial role in my present life. It seemed only right to show some gratitude for that.

"It's my pleasure," Trill answered, smiling broadly and giving a humble bow. "Now, off with you two! Spyro, good luck with the ceremony today."

I felt my smile tighten, but I tried not to let it show as Trill turned and exited the office into an adjoining room, a hunch in his posture and a slight limp as he walked with the assistance of a cane.

"Thanks..."

Cynder stepped up beside me, laying her wing across my shoulders and nuzzling me against my jaw. I placed my own wing on her back almost by instinct.

"Come on," she said. "How about we go grab some lunch in the market before we need to get ready?"

I hesitated, tempted by her offer but still feeling uncertain.

"I'm not sure I'm hungry right now," I told her at length. The mention of the upcoming ceremony had left a feeling like a swarm of butterflies in my stomach, and I didn't know how well food was going to agree with it.

Her expression became a touch more sympathetic. "Nervous about later?"

"If in this case 'nervous' means 'terrified', yeah, a little."

"Spyro, I already told you," Cynder said with a tone that was half gentle, half exasperated. "You're going to be absolutely fine. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal?" I exclaimed. "It's a speech in front of all of Warfang! A speech in recognition of the four new Guardians, and I don't know anything about them! A speech given by me, a dragon who is physically incapable of memorizing a speech in the first place! What genius even thought this would be a good idea?"

I didn't notice the way Cynder's face hardened until it was too late. When I looked back at her I jolted when I saw her glaring at me, looking decidedly less than impressed. My stomach instantly felt even more like it had just tied itself in a knot.

"It was your idea, wasn't it...?"

"Mm-hmm."

I sucked in a sharp breath. I wished then that I could just turn invisible, because with the way Cynder was looking at me I was pretty sure I was about to die. When her glare didn't lessen, I groaned.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

She sighed and shook her head, pulling away from my side and taking a few steps forward to separate us. I had no rational explanation for it, but that separation was almost painful and I moved to follow her. I immediately froze when she turned around to face me, though.

"Cynder, I—"

"I understand that you're afraid, Spyro," she cut me off, at the same time letting out a long breath to recompose herself. "Really, I do. I understand how huge of a task it seems like we're throwing at you, but you've been preparing for this for weeks. You've practiced your speech dozens of times, and every time it sounded great. Everyone is going to love it. The candidates are friends of ours, and they're all really touched that you're doing this for them, so don't worry so much. It's going to be fine."

I opened my mouth to argue, because despite her reassurance I was certain that this was going to be a disaster. For a moment I couldn't think of any words to say, though, and I sighed with frustration.

"Are you sure?" I asked finally. "Because the only thing that I keep thinking is that I'm going to make a fool of myself. Looking at that speech this morning...The things that are written in it, talking about the candidates like they're old friends of mine...I'm sure they are, but how am I supposed to say those things convincingly when I feel like I don't know the candidates at all? I just don't want to mess this up."

Cynder's expression softened gradually while she considered my position. She let out a quiet grunt and looked away in thought, but a moment later I saw her eyes light up as an idea apparently struck her.

"Well, what if they came to lunch with us?"

I blinked. "What?"

"They're going to be at the Citadel all day preparing, and I bet they would appreciate a break. We can stop by there before going to lunch and ask if they would like to come with us. Then you can take the chance to get to know them a little bit, and it won't feel like you're talking about complete strangers during your speech later."

I stared at her for a few seconds, caught off guard by the suggestion. I already felt like I was too nervous to eat, and now she wanted to throw four more dragons into the mix? Well...actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea when I really thought about it.

"I...Yeah, okay. If we can do that then it might help."

A small smile graced the edges of Cynder's muzzle, and more of the tension faded from her eyes and posture. I gave an internal sigh when I saw this. Seeing her unhappy was _not_ pleasant for me at all.

"Okay. We have a plan, then. Let's get out of here."

She started walking past me toward the door. I hesitated for a split second, but then I caught her forepaw with mine as she passed, causing her to look at me questioningly.

"I really am sorry about what I said," I told her. "I never meant to insult you."

To my huge relief, a genuine smile grew on her lips and any lingering coldness in her eyes disappeared. She squeezed my forepaw with hers comfortingly.

"I know. It's okay, Spyro. I forgive you."

I let out a sigh. _That_ was a weight I was glad to have off my shoulders! She giggled at my response, causing me to smile. I then noticed her leaning in closer to me, and without really thinking about it I closed my eyes and leaned in too, catching her in a kiss that erased all remaining guilt from my mind. When we both pulled away Cynder positioned herself by my side and allowed me to pull my wing over her again, entwining our tails together at the same time.

"Now, I really am getting hungry," she said with a smirk. "Let's go grab the others and find somewhere to eat before my stomach starts growling loud enough for the whole city to hear it."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "That happens?"

"No comment."

I chuckled, and she swatted me with her forepaw hard enough to make my shoulder sting. Lesson learned: Never laugh at a dragoness. Of course I would probably be forgetting that lesson after today, but still. Details. She still gave me a grin, so I was reassured that I hadn't made her angry again at least.

We left the clinic together and turned toward a huge structure on the city skyline that I assumed was the Citadel. I figured we would fly, but when we entered the street Cynder held tight against my side and made spreading my wings effectively impossible. I looked at her curiously, and she just gave me a smile that basically said, 'You're not going anywhere'.

I was okay with that.

I considered trying to start a conversation as we walked, but just the silent company was more than comfortable enough that it didn't need disturbing. I spent the time enjoying the city sights, watching the people that milled about, many of whom gave us excited waves as we passed.

Things were much busier at the Citadel than they had been in the streets, which surprised me slightly. A courtyard in front of the building was practically swarming with workers, all surrounding a large stage that I could only guess had been constructed for the ceremony today. Seeing it caused my throat to turn dry, all of my earlier fears returning in force. There was the podium where I would have to stand, and...Oh, Ancestors, I was going to absolutely freak out!

Cynder must have felt me tense up, because I was abruptly jolted out of those thoughts when she kissed my cheek and hugged my side tighter, shaking my shoulders with her wing.

"Stop thinking about it," she told me firmly. "We're here for a nice lunch with our friends. You ruin that, and I'm knocking you out."

I gulped. For all I knew, she might not be kidding. She seemed pleased with my reaction, and she angled for the Citadel's front door with an increased pace. I glanced back at the stage again, but with Cynder pulling me forward my choices were either to follow or get spun around and dragged by my tail. I chose the former.

Inside the Citadel was quieter than the courtyard, but not by very much. It was still buzzing with activity, and when we entered we heard a very self-important voice above the general bustle.

"Honestly, who decided that it was acceptable to essentially barricade an entire corridor like this? These banners should have been set up on the stage hours ago! Merciful Ancestors, when I find out who was in charge of this..."

"Hello, Cyril," Cynder called brightly.

Cyril's head reared up at the call, and he looked around in apparent confusion before he spotted us approaching from behind him. He let out a huff, and all at once I noticed that he looked very, very tired. His scales were duller than I remembered, and his wings and frills all drooped. There were noticeable creases in the scales around his eyes and mouth, but his eyes themselves were still strong and intense.

"Spyro. Cynder. This is a surprise. We weren't expecting you for a couple more hours. Is there something I can assist you with?"

"We're just looking for the candidates," Cynder replied. "Are they busy right now?"

Cyril frowned, thinking.

"If I recall correctly, they should be in with Volteer right now sorting out all the political and legal documents of the succession. You can check in with him on how they're progressing, but I make no guarantees of their availability. They're likely in the library."

"Okay. Thank you."

He huffed again. "Take care navigating this chaos. Someone's liable to trip you in this mess, and then you'll be trapped listening to them grovel and beg for your forgiveness, given your status. Disorganized riffraff..."

Cynder snorted with laughter, and I couldn't keep the grin off my face either. I did still feel a sense of concern when I took in Cyril's haggard appearance again, though. Was he this run down just from organizing this ceremony? Or was it more of a permanent thing?

"You look like you need a rest, Cyril," I said. "How long have you been at this?"

"Too long," he scowled. "Retirement can't come soon enough. I'm too old for this madness. It's time for it to be someone else's problem. Now, move along you two. There's more than enough bodies crowding this hallway already. Take care now."

He returned to directing the workers with the same tone of frustration as before, and Cynder and I took our cue to leave. The farther into the building we went, the less hectic the hallways became until we found ourselves in an atmosphere of relative calm. I was glad Cynder knew where she was going, because I was already lost thanks to the scale of this place. We turned through a large set of oaken doors into the library, and toward the back of the large chamber we spotted five dragons gathered around a wooden table, one of them recognizable as Volteer. One of the others, a green dragoness, perked her head up as we approached.

"What are you guys doing here?" she called out to us.

"Hmm?" Volteer said, looking toward us curiously. When he saw us his eyes lit up. "Ah! Spyro. Cynder. What a most unexpected but pleasant surprise. To what do we owe this diversion?"

"Actually, we were coming to ask if the candidates had a moment to spare for some lunch," Cynder replied.

"Food!" the red dragon exclaimed immediately, startling me with the intensity in his voice. "Thank the Ancestors!"

Volteer gave a drawn out hum, his face scrunching up with internal debate. He looked down at the table, upon which I noticed several stacks of parchments. Holy Ancestors, that looked like a _lot_ of paperwork! I did not envy these candidates at all.

"Perhaps a recess would be in order," Volteer said finally, which was immediately met with an enthusiastic "YES!" from the red dragon. This guy was going to be a Guardian? "We still have a few more duties to transfer and documents to finish up, but that would be best addressed with refreshed minds and sated appetites."

"Are you coming, Master Volteer?" the yellow electric candidate asked.

"No, no, I shan't bog down your social entourage with my presence," he replied with a quick shake of his head. "Go and enjoy yourselves, though I advise you all to return promptly. These documents must be completed before the ceremony begins."

"We will be," the green dragoness nodded before turning to Cynder and I with a large smile. "Let's go!"

Cynder gave a nod of acknowledgement and took the lead once again, turning around and padding toward the exit of the library. I fell into step beside her, and the four apprentices all rose and hurried to catch up. Once we had exited the library the ice dragon in the group spoke up.

"So what kind of lunch were you planning, exactly?"

"We hadn't decided yet," Cynder answered. "We were thinking of just picking something up from the market."

The ice dragon looked skeptical. "Not a restaurant?"

"What's the matter, Glacius?" the fire dragon said with a grin. "Are you too _sophisticated_ to be seen haggling for cuts among the commoners?"

The ice dragon scowled while the other two apprentices chuckled. "That is _not_ what I was implying and you know it, Novus. But if all we're doing is browsing the market stalls, there's no guarantee that we'll find anything before we run out of time. A restaurant is more certain."

"The city is filled to capacity with visitors planning to attend the ceremony," the electricity dragon interjected. "Any restaurants in the area will no doubt be struggling to keep up with the inflated clientele. We're liable to spend much less time finding a market vendor than we would spend waiting for a table, even with our elevated social status."

Glacius frowned, looking thoughtful. "You make a good point."

"I like the idea of lunch outdoors anyway," the green dragoness spoke up brightly. "I was getting so sick of being cooped up in that library when it's so nice outside today. A simple, casual meal in a park somewhere—"

"Of course," Novus snickered, and beside him Glacius also gave a small smirk.

"—sounds perfect to me. So I guess the question now is, what kind of meal do we want?"

"Well, options at this time of year are plentiful," the electricity dragon declared rapidly. "We've had an excellent growing season so far, so there will undoubtedly be a wide selection of fruits, or grain products such as pastries or other baked goods. Not to mention the usual range of wild game or fish, which I suppose we would need to decide whether we want fresh or prepared, and—"

"Whoa, whoa, guys, slow down!" Cynder cut in, a hidden tone of amusement in her voice. "Introductions first, menu second. Sound okay?"

She gave me a discreet wink, and I flashed her a grateful smile. She must have noticed the flustered look that was no doubt plastered on my face. Aside from picking up a couple of names, I didn't feel like I was making any progress in familiarizing myself with this group.

Novus slapped a paw to his forehead. "Right. Smooth." He faced me, putting a large smile on his face. "I'm Novus. Fun, impulsive, sometimes reckless, and your best friend."

"Presumptuous, much?" Glacius snorted.

Novus waved him off with an unconcerned grin. "We've known each other since our academy classes, not long after you and Cynder got back to the city."

"I'm Flora," the green dragoness said next, flashing a bright smile. "I was in the same classes. We met around the same time."

"My name's Glacius," the ice dragon said afterward. "I transferred to Warfang to finish my education after Cyril selected me as his apprentice twenty five years ago. We met shortly after that."

"And I'm Faraday," the electricity dragon said finally, waving a paw enthusiastically. "I'm also a transfer, after Volteer chose me as his apprentice twenty two years ago. We actually met once before that, though, thirty years ago when you and Cynder visited Crystal Skies on a diplomacy mission."

I frowned, cocking my head to the side. "Crystal Skies?"

Faraday nodded. "My home after the war."

"It's the name of a colony that was established where Concurrent Skies once stood," Cynder explained to me. "Mostly electricity dragons, with a number of mages among them that purified the area of the dark influence I left behind."

"Oh," I said, surprised by this news and feeling slightly awkward about it, though I was reassured by the fact that Cynder showed no sign of discomfort around the subject. "Well, good to meet you all. Again, I guess. Thanks."

Flora and Faraday both smiled, and Novus chuckled. "Thanks for what?"

"For...well, just this. Talking to you is already helping some of my nerves for later."

"Well then let's see if we can't take care of all of them," Flora declared brightly. "Now, I'm hungry! Let's eat!"

Her timing was perfect. We had just reached the front step of the Citadel, and without needing any more prompting we spread our wings and took to the air. I followed Cynder as she led the way to the market, my stomach growling in anticipation. My anxiety about the ceremony was still present, but maybe I _could_ eat after all.

It felt like it was only minutes before Faraday had managed to direct us to a trader selling hearty portions of pre-cut game for bulk prices, and Flora managed to find a nearby stall offering fresh spices. With the meat wrapped, we flew to the nearby gardens and found an unoccupied dragon-sized gazebo that offered welcome shade in the midday sun. Flora created a slab of smooth stone, Cynder neatly sliced the meat and laid it out, and Novus heated the stone to the perfect cooking temperature while Flora added the spices she had bought. My mouth was watering like crazy as the meat sizzled away. It smelled absolutely fantastic!

Before long we were happily eating our meals, the Guardian candidates swapping stories with me eagerly listening to every word, creating a picture in my mind of who these dragons were.

"You...you guys remember what happened when we got back to the Citadel and Cyril saw us?" Novus stammered, practically gasping with laughter as he recounted a particularly... _eventful_ night from their time as apprentices. "The _look_ that he gave us?"

Faraday shivered violently. "Please, I can't ever forget it! It was like he froze me solid with just his eyes! If such a thing were physically possible, Cyril would be a master of it."

"Seriously?" I asked incredulously, my eyes wide. "The night before a treaty summit with a former rival of the dragon race, and you get caught completely _wasted_?"

"Oh yeah," Novus said with a rapid nod. "But that isn't even the best part! So Cyril's there, staring us all down, but Glacius isn't even fazed. He walks up to Cyril, drunk off his tail, and he says with a completely straight face..."

He was fighting hard not to burst out laughing at this point—it was pretty easy to tell from all the snorting and giggling. He gestured with a paw at Glacius, and the ice dragon rolled his eyes but gave a smirk at the corner of his mouth. He puffed up his chest, acting as dignified and self-important as he could.

"Master Cyril, if I may," he stated. "The Harvest Festival is an event of great significance to the working populace, and a celebration that spans across races. It is a valuable opportunity to develop a rapport with the common people, and as you've often told us, being in touch with the citizens of the Realms is invaluable in enabling a Guardian to perform their duties effectively. Partaking in these festivities will be of nothing but benefit in the long run."

"Of course, he was slurring almost every other word during that speech," Flora giggled.

"I was _not_ ," Glacius huffed with indignation that I thought was only half faked.

"It was perfect!" Novus laughed. "And Cyril just stares him down for the longest time, but then he gives in!"

"He said that if we could still secure the alliance with the wyverns the next morning, then there would be no punishment for behaving like 'unrefined, delinquent peasants' in his words," Faraday said.

I snorted, and Cynder was shaking her head with amusement beside me. "I still wish I could have seen his reaction. I'm sure his face must have been great."

"But, hold on. You mean he was willing to put the treaty at risk like that?" I asked despite my own amusement.

"Oh, I'm sure he already had some contingency plan in place to salvage the situation if it looked like we were going to screw up," Faraday remarked with a wave of his paw. "If there's one thing Master Cyril is besides pompous, it's prepared."

I still felt skeptical, but none of the others seemed concerned.

"So, anyway, back on track here," Novus continued. "After Glacius saved our tails, we all head straight to our rooms, pass out, and the next morning we down about a lake's worth of water each and this miracle drink that Flora whipped up," Novus continued.

"I'm good with herbs," Flora declared smugly.

"That she is. Within the hour our hangovers are gone, and we turn up at the gathering with the wyverns as if nothing had happened. But get this: The wyvern prince was actually at the same tavern as us that night."

"No way!" I exclaimed.

"Yep! And he remembered us from when we helped stop this boar that was trying to make off with all of his gold while he was getting drunk himself, and so right off the bat we were in his good graces. The treaty talks went down without a hitch! Just like that, alliance with the wyvern kingdom restored."

"All in a day's work," Glacius said with a proud grin.

"Wow," I said, shaking my head in amazement. "I don't know whether to feel impressed or concerned about the kind of Guardians that are about to take up office."

"Hey!" Flora laughed. "You would have been right there with us if you weren't away mediating a border dispute with Cynder."

"There as the only sober one, of course," Faraday noted. "What with your medication and all. But you would have been participating all the same."

I looked at him with a mix of amusement and skepticism. "You sound so sure of that. But how can you be? _I_ don't even know what I would do!"

"We've been friends for decades," Novus stated, bumping my shoulder with his wing. "Some of us for half a century. I think we have a pretty good idea by now."

I glanced around at the company gathered around me, and all of them were nodding their heads in agreement, including Cynder. Despite myself, I could feel a genuine smile growing on my muzzle.

"Well...okay. Maybe you do have me there."

"No 'maybe' about it, my friend," Novus said, giving my shoulder one final slap.

I just grinned back at him. After that I took another look around our small gathering, absorbing the atmosphere of comradery that they were giving off. Maybe I didn't know them very well, but this friendship was starting to feel more real, rather than just being something that someone else told me.

"Okay. I think I have just one more question before I'm settled on this," I spoke up.

The others all turned their attention on me, various levels of curiosity visible on their faces.

"What's that?" Glacius asked.

"Why do you want to be Guardians?"

It looked like my question caught them off guard, and this was actually a bit of a surprise to me. Surely this wasn't the first time I had asked them that, was it? I couldn't have been. Still, it was apparent that they weren't expecting me to ask it now.

"Well," Glacius spoke up, clearing his throat lightly. "For me, it's part ambition to see just what I'm capable of achieving, and part of it is honour. My family has always striven to leave a positive mark on the dragon race, and I believe the best way I can do that is to be a fair representative of my element on the Guardians' council."

I nodded quietly, turning my eyes on Novus next. Some of the levity had faded from his expression, I noticed, replaced by a distant look.

"I don't talk about it much, but I saw my fair share of unpleasantness during the war," he said. "Actions driven by fear and desperation. I was pretty young at the time, but I still swore that I wouldn't let that sort of thing continue if I could help it. I want to make sure everyone gets a fair shake, and gets treated justly."

I wasn't expecting that one. That was a very serious answer for someone who seemed the complete opposite of it. The other three candidates all had expressions of respect on their faces when they looked at him, though. His motivation clearly wasn't news to them, and the impression I got was that they were willing to support him in that goal. Well, that was nothing if not encouraging.

"I just like helping people," Flora said next, giving a small shrug with her wings and a smile. "And what better place to do that than from the very top? It sounds kind of cliché, but it's what I've wanted since I was a hatchling."

"I'm interested in the advancement of our species," Faraday explained after that. "War has stifled our development as a society, both in culture and technology. I feel like with the right focus, we could make all kinds of breakthroughs that facilitate the lives of the Dragon Realms' citizens."

"The mad scientist with a good heart," Flora joked, and Novus, Glacius and Cynder all grinned.

"I would object to that moniker if not for the fact that it might not be completely inaccurate," Faraday said in response.

I had to chuckle at that. "Well...okay. I think I'm sold."

"Really?" Flora exclaimed.

I nodded. "From what I've heard so far, and knowing that we all have history, I feel like I can trust you guys. It sounds like you all have your hearts in the right place for why you want to become Guardians, so I'm ready to support you and I would be happy to speak at the ceremony. And besides, Cynder seems behind it and her judgement is something I trust completely."

I saw Cynder shoot me an appreciative glance out of the corner of her eye at that, her tail curling slightly tighter around mine.

"Great!" Novus said excitedly.

Glacius and Faraday also smiled widely, but none as large as Flora. She beamed and stood up, surprising me by pulling her wings around my shoulders in a hug.

"Oh," I stammered in an awkward sort of laugh. "Okay."

"Thank you, Spyro," Flora said when she let go. "This means so much to all of us."

"It's an honour," Glacius nodded in agreement. "To have the dragon that saved the entire world speak on our behalf on the day we're appointed as Guardians? It's incredible."

I felt my face heat up slightly, and I turned my eyes away while shuffling my paws bashfully.

"Well, I can't take all the credit for that..."

"Hey. Don't sell yourself short on my account," Cynder countered, giving me a large smile.

All I could manage was a smile back at her. A couple of the others chuckled at our banter, but at that moment Faraday glanced up at the sky outside the gazebo and jolted.

"Dear Ancestors! We're going to be late getting back to Volteer!"

"Oh, crap!" Novus exclaimed. "Kind of hard to be appointed as Guardians if the legal succession isn't finished in time for the ceremony. Thanks for the lunch guys, but we need to fly!"

"See you at the ceremony!" Flora called.

I yelped and ducked as they all jumped into the air at once in a tangle of wings, miraculously avoiding getting battered in the process. When I lowered my wings I looked up to see the four of them retreating quickly toward the Citadel, as well as Cynder laughing at me. I turned my head to face her.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," she answered innocently. "Just admiring the picture of steady composure that is my mate."

I gave her a hurt look, which of course only caused her to laugh more, so I responded like any mature adult dragon would by sticking my tongue out at her. She snorted and shook her head before standing up.

"Well, how about another walk? We should be able to make it back home from here and still have enough time to finish preparing for the ceremony when we get there. Sound good to you?"

I only had to think about it for a second before I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds fine."

She smiled brightly. "Great. Then come here."

I obeyed, rising and stepping up by her side, and together we set off along the park's walkways and back out into Warfang's streets. Things were getting gradually busier as the hour of the new Guardians' inauguration approached, but we still managed to make it back to the apartment we shared without much trouble. Once inside we settled in our bedroom, where we helped each other ensure that our scales and horns were nicely polished and our claws neatly filed, trying to make ourselves as presentable as possible. To finish, Cynder pulled a very expensive-looking dark red—or was it more burgundy?—silk robe out of one of the dressers, with a golden clasp and embroidery on the edges. Before I had time to ask questions she had tossed it over my shoulders, using her tail to straighten out its length while she fastened the clasp around my neck. When she was finished she stepped back and gave an approving hum, eyeing me up and down.

"Ancestors, you look good in that," she said, and I couldn't help puffing my chest out slightly from the swell of pride. Good looking, huh? "All you need is a crown and you would look like a king."

I gave a quiet laugh. "Careful. I'm probably not fit to rule like this, but if you go putting ideas in my head who knows what'll happen?"

"Aw, come on," she said teasingly. "Why not? You on the throne, me behind the scenes pulling all the strings..."

"Oh, I see. So _you_ want to rule, and I'm just your proxy."

"What? Noooo."

I laughed again, grabbing a pillow off of the bed beside me and tossing it at her. She dodged it easily, laughing as well, and for a moment after that we just observed each other in silence. She looked radiant, with her scales gleaming and accentuated by her silver necklace and horn ring. I could probably stare at her all day.

"Oh!" she said suddenly, snapping us both out of our daze. "Don't want to forget..."

She walked over to the desk sitting against one of the walls, pulling open a drawer and retrieving a rolled bundle of parchment. Roll in paw, she padded back over to me and held it out for me to take.

"Your speech," she said. "All written out and ready to go."

I hesitated, looking down at the parchment as some of my earlier nerves rose up in my chest again. I took it slowly in my paw, unrolling it and glancing over some of the words written out on the page. This whole speech thing had started to feel like something far away and unimportant during our lunch with the apprentices, but now it was feeling very real again. I swallowed and took a slightly shaky breath.

"Right. Good. Definitely don't want to forget that..."

I was broken out of my thoughts when Cynder placed her forepaw on mine, gently rolling the speech back up and giving me a reassuring smile. She moved forward to nuzzle me under my jaw, and the soothing contact drew a heavy sigh from me as my tense shoulders relaxed.

"You're going to do great," she told me, just as she had earlier. "Trust me."

I gazed back into her eyes and studied her for a few seconds, but then a smile worked its way across my muzzle.

"I do."

"Good. Then let's go. The ceremony will be starting before much longer. Can't begin without the purple dragon."

I chuckled. "Well, the purple dragon couldn't do it without you."

It was cheesy, but I didn't care. Cynder's smile made it more than worth it, and she nuzzled me again.

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to. I'll be in the front row of the audience, right where you can see me. Now come on."

She turned toward the doorway that led out to the balcony, and I followed right behind her. Side by side we took off into the sky, heading for the Citadel and the crowd gathering in front of it. My nerves flared again, but I tried to push them aside while focusing on Cynder instead. She was going to be right there with me. I had nothing to worry about. It was going to be fine.

A smile crept across my lips as I held on to that comforting notion. I'd been in scary situations before, but we had drawn strength from each other through each of them. This was no different.

The stage came into view ahead, and on it I could see Cyril, Volteer and Terrador, as well as the four apprentices all wearing their formal dress and making for an impressive sight. They soon caught sight of us, a few of them beckoning with their wings, and as soon as they had the crowd of observers turned to look. Almost immediately a cheer went up, applause spreading throughout the audience. My throat went dry.

Something nudged my side, and I turned to see Cynder looking back at me with a reassuring smile. She nodded to me, and after swallowing my nerves I nodded back, her presence calming me. After that, we turned together and started descending toward the stage.

Here we go...

* * *

 **I can't believe this is really happening to me!**

 **There's no way that I can describe what I'm feeling right now. Even now, I can barely sit still long enough to write this down! This feels like a dream! Is this even really happening, or have I completely snapped and now I'm just delusional?**

 **How am I going to do this? I'm not ready for this, am I? Me, who can't function for more than a single day at a time? It just seems like a bad idea when I put it that way, but...**

 **Damn it, forget about all that! I'm so excited!**

-~.~-*-~.~-

I woke up feeling strangely groggy, which was strange because it felt like I was just coming out of a very deep sleep. Why would I still feel this exhausted after just waking up? It was a physical kind of exhaustion, like I had been running around non-stop the day before, and at the same time I felt completely stiff as though I hadn't moved a single inch all night long.

Well, I supposed that _did_ make sense. Fighting Malefor was an ordeal and a half, after all, not to mention using my power to reverse the world's destruction afterward. I just...Wait a minute. There was no bed in the core of the world...and I _definitely_ wasn't a full grown adult the last time I looked! Or...actually, was I? Why couldn't I remember?

I lifted my head and looked around myself, frowning in confusion. Where was I? I didn't recognize this place at all. I had no idea what to make of all this...Well, I supposed my best course of action was to just take stock of my situation, so that was what I did.

Large, soft bed with fine quality sheets and plenty of room for two. The sheets on the other side of the bed were rumpled and there was an indent from another body, so someone else was there recently. The room itself was round and a bit dark because of the mostly-drawn curtains, but I could still see that it was comfortably furnished and decorated. There were a couple of cushions near the window with a bookshelf against the wall between them, clearly a sort of lounge area for two. The rest of the furnishings likewise suggested that this was a couple's room.

So who was the other half of that couple?

My eyes were drawn to the end table on the other side of the bed, and I spotted a black crystal rose sitting on top of it. I leaned closer and picked it up carefully to examine it. It was beautiful, and it actually made me think of Cynder.

I wonder...

I looked to my own end table, and I saw two things on it. The first was a glass cup with some sort of strange reddish liquid in it that gave off a strong scent. The second was a leather-bound journal. I picked the journal up almost by instinct and opened it to the first page. It looked like my own writing, so I started reading.

Amnesia? Well, that did make a lot of sense, actually. Honestly I didn't feel surprised, since it very effectively described why I felt so disoriented. What else...? Living in Warfang...Cynder is my...mate? Really?

Nice!

I paused for a second to let that sink in, a large smile dominating my face. Eventually I did keep reading, though. The line that got the most attention was the mention of new Guardians. If there were new Guardians, what had happened to Terrador, Cyril and Volteer? Were they still in the city?

I decided I would need to ask someone about it later. In the meantime my focus turned back to the glass cup. I noticed a piece of parchment in front of it, and I recognized my own writing on it once again.

 _'Drink this when I wake up.'_

I spent a moment longer studying the glass, not entirely convinced I wanted to obey my own instruction given the smell. Still, my journal did mention medicine. That must be what this was. Sighing to myself, I picked it up. Might as well.

I gagged as soon as I gulped it all down. That stuff was _foul_! Someone would think that whoever made this stuff would at least try to flavour it a little, but apparently that wasn't a priority. Ancestors!

Well, at least it cleared away the lingering fuzziness in my head. It definitely worked to wake me up. I had to give it that.

Scowling and trying to work the remaining taste off my tongue, I climbed off of the bed and headed for the door, deciding I should try to find Cynder and explore the home a little bit on the way. It looked like a pretty nice place. The upper floor alone was quite spacious and comfortable. Multiple spare bedrooms. Large tub that seemed to be heated by some sort of crystal technology if I had to guess. Library. Study. Multiple balconies. I could definitely get used to something like this! Well, I could if my memory was working properly, anyway.

Were we rich? It sure looked like it so far. What kind of jobs did we have to afford this kind of house? Or was it all a reward for our contributions to the war? More questions for later, I supposed.

There was no sign of Cynder anywhere upstairs, but I thought I heard something from the main level. The stairway had an open side as it curved along the wall of the large foyer, so I simply dropped from the second level to the first with my wings catching my fall. The sound was coming from down the main hall behind me. I followed it and entered what appeared to be a large combined kitchen and dining room.

Cynder was sitting at a low wooden table, facing the doorway I had just entered from. When she saw me a bright smile crossed her face, one that immediately made me feel warm inside. I was stunned for a few seconds, her graceful appearance leaving me speechless.

Wow...

"Hey, handsome," she greeted me warmly. "Finally awake, huh?"

A grin answered her words, my daze broken.

"Looks that way," I chuckled. "How long have you been up?"

"An hour, maybe," she answered with a shrug. "I would have stayed with you, but I was getting stiff and needed to move around."

I nodded wordlessly. I had become distracted by the plate that was currently sitting in front of her, which she continued eating from after she was finished speaking. It was huge! There were at least three different kinds of meat on it, along with more sides than I could name. She was currently eating what looked like a mushroom dipped in...honey? That was certainly...odd.

I realized I was staring, but I couldn't think of any other way to react. I was shocked by the scale of this meal. From what I could see of Cynder, though, she didn't seem noticeably overweight or thick—and I immediately felt petty and wrong for thinking that way, but I couldn't help it—so where was that food going?

"So..." I forced out a moment later, trying to come up with a conversation to distract myself. "What kind of plans do you have for today? Do we have anywhere we need to be, or work, or...something?"

"Not really," Cynder answered. "I'm on leave from work for another couple of weeks, and we didn't make any plans for being anywhere. I do need to head over to the market soon, though. Food storage is running low." She paused for a minute, continuing her meal, but then her eyes brightened with a look of inspiration. "Actually, since you're up, why don't we do that now? I'm done here."

It was true. In just the last couple of minutes she had cleared her plate completely, somehow eating all of her food between sentences. It didn't seem physically possible, and on top of that she had done it without any kind of unsightly display either. No mess, just efficiency. I did not get it at all.

And then she stood up, and it all hit me like a ton of bricks to the face.

I was staring again, this time with my mouth hanging open slightly. My eyes were locked on her belly, which had swollen up considerably from what I imagined was its normal size. It looked cumbersome and heavy, judging by her posture at least, and there was one conclusion that my mind immediately jumped to. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!

I finally looked up to meet her gaze, and when I did I saw her looking back at me with an enormous smile, partly from humour and largely from happiness.

"Cynder," I said quietly. "What...?"

I looked down at her stomach again, as if to confirm that it wasn't just an illusion. I could barely even put a coherent thought together.

"Are you...?"

Her smile spread even wider, and her eyes were now shining with what I could only describe as pure joy. She nodded once.

"Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you," she giggled. "It's true. I'm gravid."

I staggered, a million different thoughts and feelings rushing through my head at once. Gravid...I couldn't believe this! It was so surreal, like I was standing inside a dream! I was staring at her stomach again, imagining the egg inside.

"...Ours?" I barely managed to ask.

She laughed at that. "Of course it is! Here. Come see."

She sat back on her haunches and lifted her foreleg in an inviting gesture. I slowly walked forward, feeling completely dazed. Cynder was carrying an egg. I could barely even wrap my head around it. There was an egg inside of her, forming right now. When had this even happened? An egg! And it was mine!

When I reached her side I sat down slowly, barely registering the wing she set on my back. She took my forepaw with hers and laid it on her stomach, holding it there and grasping it tightly. I was frozen for a long moment. It was such a strange feeling, her belly rigid and the scales stretched apart, seeming like they were barely still covering the skin underneath.

How uncomfortable was that for her, actually? Wait, no, forget that! Our egg was literally right beneath my paw at that moment.

Our egg.

Our _child_...

A laugh broke past my jaws before I even realized it. A bubbly feeling of euphoria was growing stronger and stronger in my chest, and my laughter was building along with it. An egg! A child! I was going to have a child! My own family!

Before I knew what I was doing I had grabbed Cynder in a tight hug with my forepaws and wings, holding her close while I laughed in total happiness and excitement. I felt like I was soaring higher than the sun!

"I can't believe this!" I finally exclaimed out loud. "Cynder, this is amazing!"

I pulled back to look into her eyes, and her smile was just as bright as ever. She was laughing quietly, shaking her head.

"I never get tired of this reaction," she murmured fondly, leaning forward to run the side of her muzzle along mine. "Seeing your face light up like this every morning is something I just can't get enough of."

I laughed again. "Well, if you like that then just wait until the egg is hatched! I bet my reaction then will put this one to shame!"

Cynder laughed as well. "I'm looking forward to it."

I grinned back at her before my eyes turned down to her swollen stomach once more. Just the thought of what was inside practically stole my breath away. This was the last thing I expected when I woke up this morning, and it was something I'd had no idea that I wanted, but now...Now I wanted it _so_ badly! I wanted a family to call my own, and it was happening!

"How long?" I asked.

"I'm expected to lay within the next couple of weeks," she replied. "After that it will be another couple of months before the egg is ready to hatch."

"Months?" I repeated, my heart falling slightly. "Ancestors. I feel like I can't even wait the rest of the day..."

"I know. I feel the same way."

I let out a sigh, and Cynder responded by nuzzling against me again. The smile quickly returned to my face.

"Are you scared?" she asked me quietly.

I paused, considering the question and trying to sort out the surge of emotions inside of me. It was a difficult thing to manage. I was almost dizzy for the number of feelings and thoughts rushing around inside my head!

"A little. Well, actually a lot. I...Oh, Ancestors. I'm going to have a child! That's so incredible! But...How am I going to do this? How do I look after a hatchling when I..."

I trailed off, my chest tightening and leaving me short of breath. I was staring down at Cynder's swollen belly again, questions raging inside my head like a storm. I didn't know how to be a father, and with this amnesia, there was no way anybody could teach me. What was I supposed to do?

"Hey," Cynder spoke up, giving my shoulder a quick shake with her forepaw and instantly drawing my eyes up to hers. She was staring at me with a steady, resolved expression. "Listen to me. We're going to be just fine."

I opened my mouth but couldn't think of anything to say for a moment. I glanced down once again before letting out a tense sigh.

"Are you sure? Because...when I woke up, I thought I was still a kid at first. How do I provide for one of my own when I feel so...clueless?"

"Simple," Cynder told me with a large smile covering her face. "We do it together, just like everything else."

Silence fell between us for a few moments as I sat there holding her gaze, considering her answer. It wasn't much longer before the smile grew back on my muzzle, however, the excitement that this news brought me returning in force. I simply closed my eyes and pulled Cynder tight against me with my forelegs and wings, never wanting to let her go.

"I don't think this fear is really going to go away," I said. "But...Right now, the only thing I want is to see our child's face."

Cynder pulled her head back to look at me, beaming with barely contained excitement. "Me too. I just know that they're going to be perfect."

My smile practically doubled at those words, a feeling of enormous pride and happiness swelling up in my chest. I had to fight not to tear up, although that would probably just add more entertainment for Cynder.

"I love you so much," I said.

Another smile was my answer, before she leaned forward and caught me in a long, tender kiss. My heart felt weightless. It was official: I had died and this was heaven!

"I love you too," she told me when we parted.

I sighed in total contentment and pulled her against my chest again, resting my head on top of hers and just savouring her presence—her noticeably larger presence, at that. It felt like absolutely nothing could ruin this moment.

I could have stayed that way for hours, but eventually Cynder pulled away again, giving me a fond lick on the tip of my snout before disengaging from our embrace. I watched with a feeling of confusion as she stood back up, grunting quietly from the added weight.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay here all day, we do need to get to the market at some point. Might as well be now before it gets busy."

She started walking away from me toward a large carrying bag that was hanging on the wall. A jolt went through me when I realized what she was doing. She wasn't really going to exert herself in this condition, was she? I jumped to my paws, my protective instincts kicking in full force.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on!" I exclaimed, intercepting her and grabbing the bag before she could. "You don't need to do that. I can take care of it for you."

She looked at me dubiously. "It's okay, Spyro. It's just a short flight and some walking around. I'm not going to pass out from strain or anything."

"I know, but why work yourself when you don't need to? Let me do this for you. Come on."

"Spyro, really, I'm fine—"

"Please?"

She hesitated, staring me down, and I gave her the best disarming smile I could manage. In truth it wasn't just concern for her wellbeing that was motivating me here. My worries from before were still very much present. I was going to have a family soon, and I wanted to be able to provide for it. Even without the information that my journal had told me, it was clear that I had problems. I didn't want to be just another dependent that Cynder would have to look after on top of a hatchling. Anything like this that I could do to help her...I wanted to. I _needed_ to.

It seemed like she realized this a minute later, because her expression slowly softened and was replaced by a small, grateful smile. I immediately felt myself relaxing, some of my giddy energy from before returning.

"Fine," she sighed with amusement. "As long as you don't start thinking of me as some helpless little thing that needs you to rescue me from everything."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

That seemed to satisfy her, and her pride. "Well...alright then." Her expression became questioning again, though. "How will you know where to go?"

"I'm sure I can ask someone. It'll be fine."

Cynder didn't look convinced, and I couldn't really blame her. Warfang was a big city, after all, and it would be extremely easy for someone who didn't know where they were going to get lost. That is, unless they could fly and see the city's layout from above, which I could. As long as I took careful note of where this house was so I knew where to return to, I had no doubt that I would be able to find my way.

"Cynder, I'll be fine," I assured her. "Look, if worst comes to worst and I lose my way, I can find the Guardians and ask if they can point me back here. We do know the new ones, right?"

She seemed surprised by my solution, but then she relaxed slightly and nodded. "Yeah, we've been friends with all of them for years."

"Well, there. See? Nothing to worry about. Now, is there a list or something of what we need to get?"

She gave a sigh that was halfway between exasperated and amused, and all I could do was grin back at her. She chuckled and shook her head, walking over to a nearby drawer and pulling out a small roll of parchment and some ink.

"Hold on. I'll put one together for you."

A minute later I had the finished list tucked securely into the bag that was hanging over my shoulder, along with a pouch of coins, and I turned to face Cynder again. She was sitting down watching me, and I could see a hint of lingering skepticism in her eyes, but mostly her expression was one of humour and fondness. I stepped up to her, wrapping her in my wings and pausing to feel her stomach again with both my forepaws. I couldn't keep the massive smile off of my face.

"I really can't wait."

She smiled back at me and nuzzled me under my chin. "Me neither."

I returned the nuzzle, and after that we parted with me turning toward the front of the house, practically bouncing down the hall with renewed excitement. Cynder gave a quiet giggle behind me as she watched me leave, but then she suddenly called out.

"Oh, wait! You haven't even eaten anything yet!"

"Don't worry about it!" I called back. "I'll just grab something while I'm out. I'll be back soon!"

"Well, okay then. I love you!"

"Love you too!"

With that I opened the front door and dashed outside. Unfortunately, timing wasn't on my side as I ran right into the dragoness that that had just landed on our front step. We bounced off of each other with a loud grunt, the dragoness almost getting bowled over from the speed I was moving at.

"Oh, Ancestors, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, mortified by my own clumsiness. I could have hurt her! "Are you okay? I should have been watching where I was going—"

"Relax, Spyro," the earth dragoness giggled, brushing off her chest with a forepaw. "I'm fine. No harm done."

"Oh, good," I sighed. It was then that I paused, her casual use of my name sinking in. "I...take it we know each other?"

"Sure do," she answered with a grin and a nod. "I'm Flora, the Earth Guardian."

My head jerked up in surprise. "Really? Oh, okay. So, according to Cynder we're long time friends, then. Right?"

"Yep!" Flora stated happily. "And speaking of Cynder..."

A look of intensity suddenly filled her expression, and she grabbed my shoulders with her forepaws. I yelped in surprise when I instantly found myself eye to eye with her.

"Where is she?"

"W-what?"

"I'm gone for months for a diplomatic mission, and when I get back late last night the others tell me that the two of you are _expecting_?! I thought they were messing with me at first! I had to see this for myself! Is it true?"

I remained stunned for another second, but after that I couldn't keep the goofy smile off my face. Flora's eyes widened.

"It's true."

She gasped, but almost instantly her look of shock was replaced by one of pure excitement.

"Really?" she exclaimed. She grabbed me in a fierce hug, causing me to yelp again. "Congratulations! You must be thrilled!"

"You have no idea," I laughed. "Thrilled. Ecstatic. Terrified. It's overwhelming! But, also amazing."

Flora laughed too, squeezing me tighter, crushing the air out of me—Ancestors, earth dragons are strong! "I'm so happy for you!" She then released me, holding me out at arm's length again and allowing me to suck in a breath of air. "But now I _really_ need to see Cynder. Is she inside?"

I chuckled, nodding. "Go on i—"

"Thanks!"

She dashed past me before I could even finish my sentence, and I was almost knocked over in the process. I almost thought _she_ was the one about to have a hatchling with how excited she was! Before the door could even swing closed behind her I heard her calling out inside.

"Hellooooo!"

"Flora!" I heard Cynder exclaim. "You're back! When did you return?"

"Last night. Now, what's this I hear about..."

The next thing I heard was a high pitched squeal that rang out through the whole house, and I snorted with amusement.

"Oh my _Ancestors!_ _LOOK AT YOU!_ That is a one hundred percent genuine egg bump! I can't believe what I'm seeing right now!"

A flurry of laughter could be heard as the door finally clicked shut, and I could easily picture the two dragonesses hugging in my head. After that their voices were muffled but I could still hear them chattering excitedly. I laughed to myself one more time before turning to the sky and taking flight. My own excitement couldn't be contained any longer, and I let out a triumphant cheer as I performed a string of loops above the city. I had never imagined I could feel this way!

I was going to be a dad!

* * *

 **Well...this day didn't go quite like I would have hoped. I thought my fighting days were over.**

 **I can definitely say that something I never expected was needing to fight fellow citizens of Warfang, though. I guess I was a bit naive, thinking that just because the war was over, everything was peaceful. Thinking about what almost happened...It makes me sick. Honestly, part of me is happy that I'm going to forget this. I just wish that Cynder could too.**

 **I'm just so glad that we're both okay.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

Leaving the concert hall felt like trying to wade through a rushing river, except instead of water it was a crowd of countless creatures like moles, cheetahs, atlawa, manweersmalls, and pretty much anything else that reacted poorly to getting stepped on by a dragon. This was insanity! I was going to crush someone like this!

Just behind me, Cynder let out a frustrated growl as our progress was brought to a halt by the packed bodies blocking our way. It seemed that at that moment she reached the end of her patience.

"Hey!" she roared suddenly, causing me to jump. "If you all don't mind, purple dragon coming through!"

Well, that was nothing if not effective. After the rest of the crowd managed to get over the fright caused by her roar a path promptly opened up in front of us, leading down the front steps of the theatre and into the open square beyond. Offering a weak smile that was half from gratitude, half from embarrassment, I quickly padded through it and let out a large sigh of relief once I emerged into open space. Cynder stepped up beside me, looking quite pleased with herself.

"You know, you're too polite for your own good," she teased me. "If you literally just said 'Can I pass?', it would have had almost the same effect."

"Yeah, well..." I spluttered indignantly, but I couldn't come up with a proper comeback. "...I didn't feel like it."

She laughed, giving a triumphant sort of smirk, and I sighed and rolled my eyes in exasperation. I had to work to hide my grin.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked to change the subject.

"We should start heading home," Cynder answered, becoming serious for a moment. "It's almost time for your evening medicine, and we don't want to leave it too late."

"Oh, right," I nodded. "Should we fly?"

"Well, I think we still have time to walk. Just as long as we don't take too scenic of a route."

"Alright. Lead the way."

She offered me a smile and started walking down the street, away from the dispersing crowd and into the flickering glow cast by the street lamps. I caught up to her and placed my wing over her back, earning an approving hum from her. We walked in silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying the quiet evening atmosphere, but eventually Cynder spoke up.

"That was fun."

I looked at her sidelong and smiled. "It was. I enjoyed it a lot."

She beamed. "I'm glad. I hoped you would. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to have a more 'proper' evening out, and word around the Citadel was that this orchestra was very worth it."

"Good call. I didn't even know a mixed dragon and mole orchestra was a thing."

"Well, why not? They already cooperate in daily life in the city, so doing the same in the arts shouldn't be a surprise."

I frowned thoughtfully, considering this argument as we made a turn down into a smaller side street. This one was considerably less busy than the main avenue, and quieter.

"Fair point," I nodded finally. "Either way, they did a good job. I thought that wind dragoness was especially good. I've never heard singing like that."

"She was good, wasn't she? I suppose being a wind dragoness, it makes sense she could do things with her voice that no one else could."

I paused, looked down at Cynder beside me, and a fond smile grew on my lips.

"I bet you could."

That certainly got her attention. She met my gaze with a surprised one of her own. "What?"

"Well, even back during the war your control over wind was impressive," I told her. "You must be easily beyond what that dragoness could do by now. Plus...I think you would have a beautiful singing voice."

"Aww," she said, nuzzling me. "You really think so? Honestly, I never felt like the arts would suit me. I'm much more... _action_ oriented."

"Well, maybe you should try sometime. I really do think you would sound great."

She considered me for a moment in silence, but after that a warm smile spread on her lips and her eyes brightened. She leaned over to nuzzle me again, causing me to sigh happily.

"Maybe I will."

"I would like that. And I bet Ruby would too."

Cynder looked up at me thoughtfully again, though shortly after that she turned her attention forward once more and pressed herself closer to my side. My mind briefly went back to our home, and the small infant dragoness that we had left in the care of some neighbours—apparently close ones—before we left for the evening. A large smile stretched across my face, a feeling of indescribable warmth and affection spreading from my heart.

My little Ruby...She was almost the spitting image of her mother, except of course for the red scales whose colour was as rich as a gemstone, and the bright purple eyes and head crest that she had inherited from me. Seeing her when I had come downstairs that morning had been...well, one hell of a surprise, to put it lightly, but a surprise of the most amazing kind. Having a tiny little dragoness tackle my leg when I entered the room and call me "Daddy" _definitely_ caught me off guard.

We turned another corner, and I looked around in slight confusion when I saw that we had just entered a dim, narrow side street that looked like it was rarely used. It wasn't exactly a scenic area, and I looked at Cynder quizzically.

"This seems like an odd route to take."

"Just a small shortcut," she replied unconcernedly. "Going this way leads us through a nice park anyway, which I thought would add some atmosphere."

I grunted, looking away in thought. Eventually I shrugged.

"Well, I suppose that does sound nice. This place just feels kind of..."

I glanced around uncomfortably, and Cynder giggled.

"What? Dirty? Dark? You're not scared of the dark, are you?"

I frowned at her, slightly affronted by her teasing tone of voice.

"No. But I obviously don't know this area, and it doesn't really look like the most inviting—"

Out of nowhere stars flashed in my vision, and my ears started ringing intensely. I lost all sensation of my surroundings, and for a moment my mind was completely scrambled. I couldn't think. There was nothing but the ringing noise, and the blurred images in front of me, and...Oh, Ancestors, my head really _hurt_! It felt like someone had dropped a boulder on it! Especially at the back...Wow, that was painful! And why wasn't that ringing stopping yet? It was really getting annoying!

I tried to reach up to rub the back of my skull, wincing from the pain, but that was when I realized that I couldn't. My leg wouldn't move. My vision was still fuzzy, so I couldn't make out what the problem was. I shook my head to clear it—Ow! Big mistake! Pain flooded through it from the rough movement, and I groaned through clenched fangs.

The ringing _finally_ started to subside, and that was when I realized that I could hear someone shouting.

"...get...alone! What...going on? Hey! Get...of me! I...to the Ancestors, if you don't let go of us _right_ _now_ I will cut every single one of you to pieces! Spyro! _Spyro!_ Answer me!"

Cynder? She sounded distressed, and panic immediately flooded through me. I raised my head with some difficulty and blinked my eyes several times to try and make my vision fall into focus. My head was still pounding, and I thought I felt something wet dripping down the back of it and along my neck. Seriously, what happened?! And where was Cynder—

I froze completely solid and my eyes went wide when the picture in front of me finally became clear. Cynder was standing in a defensive stance, wings flared and lip curled back in a vicious snarl of challenge at the three large male dragons that had her surrounded in the narrow walkway. Almost instantly fury sparked inside of me, and I snarled and tried to lunge forward, but once again I couldn't move and I faltered. Something had my legs pinned, holding me in place. I struggled instinctively, but went rigid a second later when something sharp was pressed roughly against my throat. I sucked in a startled breath, my heart skipping a beat.

"Spyro!" Cynder exclaimed again, and now the note of fear was plainly audible in her voice. Her snarl wavered briefly and her eyes widened, fixed on the blade against my neck. Quickly enough the look of rage returned, though. "You bastards! Let him go!"

I kept perfectly still, knowing that any movement at all could cause the viciously sharp blade to cut into my neck. I looked down out of the corner of my eye and saw that the blade was actually formed out of stone and was attached to the end of a green tail. Following the tail, I was able to see most of the figure of a bulky earth dragon. He was holding my left foreleg, his other paw pinning my wing against my side and preventing me from backing up away from his blade. A fire dragon held my other side. From what little I could see of their faces from this angle, I could make out a pair of vile grins. I went cold, fear squeezing my chest painfully.

A dark chuckle answered Cynder's demand. My eyes turned to another fire dragon that stood directly in front of Cynder. Something about the look in his eyes made my stomach turn.

"Or what?" he snorted. "You'll attack? You move, and he dies."

I saw her lock up at that. She tried to maintain her fierce snarl, but I saw the fear in her eyes when she glanced toward me again. I grit my fangs and let out a low growl, equal parts hatred and terror storming inside me. My growl was cut off when the blade pushed harder against my neck. I felt it cutting into the top layer of scales and my body tensed even more—if that was even possible at this point.

That was when an idea struck me, and I would have slapped myself if I wasn't restrained. What was I _doing_? I was the purple dragon, the most powerful being alive! There should have been no way these two dragons could restrain me with my power! All I had to do was freeze time, and then—

Wait...it wasn't working. Why wasn't it working? I couldn't stop time! Panic was really starting to take hold now, and I faintly gasped for breath. My powers weren't working! Why?! This couldn't happen! Not now! Not when Cynder was in trouble!

"I have to say, this is quite the surprise catch, isn't it boys?" the fire dragon—clearly the gang's leader—snickered. "Such an honour to have a pair of celebrities such as yourselves wander through our neighbourhood."

Cynder growled, her lip curling back, and her voice was practically dripping with venom when she spoke.

"What do you want?"

"Well..." the fire dragon hummed, stalking slowly closer to her. "For starters, that necklace looks like it would fetch a fine price. Why don't we hold on to that? And the horn ring, too."

He glanced at one of the other two dragons that had Cynder boxed in, an ice dragon. The dragon smirked and stepped forward, reaching up to remove the jewelry from their captive. Cynder snarled dangerously, but she made no move to stop him. Her eyes locked on to mine, and the conflict in them was unfathomable. I could tell how _badly_ she wanted to fight back, to just rip these dragons apart, but I could also tell that there was noway she was willing risk my well being to do so. I swore inwardly. I hated this! I hated this with every ounce of my soul! Being used like this to control her...it was despicable! And the worst part was not being able to do anything about it!

"And the bag," the leader said next, pointing at the woven fabric pouch hanging off of her shoulder.

Giving another growl, Cynder slowly shifted her wing and carefully hooked the strap with the notch of her wing blade. She lifted it up over her head and held it out for the remaining dragon, an electricity user, to grab.

"Okay, you have your payday," Cynder spat. "Now let us go."

The fire dragon raised a claw to his chin, pretending to think.

"Hmm...No. I don't think so."

I heard a couple of the other dragons chuckle quietly, exchanging knowing glances.

"I'm warning you," Cynder tried again, her expression darkening. "If anything happens to us, the Guardians will hear about it. Every dragon in the Warfang Guard will be after you."

"Oh, we're well aware of that."

I faltered. How could he so nonchalant about the consequences he and his gang were facing? I didn't like to think of myself as being above others, but Cynder and I _were_ pretty high profile figures! If word got out about this...

Realization hit me right then, cold and sharp as a blade. _If_ word got out...They only risked getting caught if someone reported what had happened. This alleyway was deserted. I couldn't see the main streets in either direction, which meant that no one else could see what was happening. There were no witnesses, leaving me and Cynder as the only loose ends.

Damn...

From the look on Cynder's face, she realized the same thing I did. Her whole body tensed, and her eyes quickly passed over the two dragons holding me. A rush of panic ran through me when I realized what she was planning. No, that wasn't going to work! She was an amazing fighter, but there was no way she could reach me and take out both of the guards before—

The gang leader's tail slammed into my gut before I could even finish my thought, and throbbing pain exploded through my body. I gasped loudly and doubled over, feeling for a moment like I was going to be sick. I coughed involuntarily, which only aggravated my stomach. Ancestors, how hard did he hit me? That hurt way too much!

"What was that for?!" Cynder cried out.

"You were thinking of fighting," the fire dragon stated accusingly. "That is the consequence. Make no mistake: You are powerless here. You resist in _any_ way and he suffers. If you call for help, he suffers. If I even _suspect_ that you're going to cause trouble, he suffers. If you're that desperate to fight us then go ahead, but you sacrifice him in the process. The only way to spare him is to cooperate. Have you got the picture?"

Cynder stayed rigid, glaring fiercely at the fire dragon. My stomach felt like it was on fire, but even so I was forced to straighten up when the stone blade pressed against my throat again. I saw the fire dragon's lip curl into a snarl.

"I asked you a question!"

Cynder's features twisted into a snarl of her own, but she remained motionless. Her eyes were filled with murderous hatred, so much that even _I_ was scared of her even though none of it was directed at me.

"I understand," she growled quietly.

The leader smiled in a way that almost literally made me sick. "Good. Grab her."

The other two dragons that were flanking Cynder lunged forward, and panic flooded through me. Cynder reacted instantly, her battle instincts kicking in by their own accord. She slashed at the dragon that approached from her left, but before I could see what happened next the lead dragon's tail slammed into the side of my head. My ears rang painfully again, a sharp cry escaping me, and for a split second I thought the impact had broken my lower jaw. Damn, that _hurt_! The taste of blood filled my mouth and I quickly spat it out. My cry of pain must have reached Cynder, because I faintly heard her yell my name again.

"I thought you said you understood," the fire dragon said. He raised his claws threateningly. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No!" Cynder shouted, her eyes going wide with fear and panic. "Don't hurt him again! You win, okay? I...I won't fight anymore."

The fire dragon paused, staring her down skeptically, but after a moment that awful smile returned to his face.

"Okay. Then let's try this one more time, shall we? Boys, grab her."

The two other dragons moved forward again, one of them with a new set of bleeding claw marks on his cheek, and this time Cynder remained perfectly still. Soon enough they had firm grips on her from both sides, and that was when I saw the look of helplessness and defeat in her eyes.

They were going to suffer for this...

Suddenly, as if from some unspoken signal from their leader, the two dragons drove all their weight down on Cynder and she let out a startled cry as her legs collapsed. I tried to call out to her as concern exploded through me, but the pressure of the blade on my throat made me choke on my own words. Before either of us could recover the dragons had Cynder completely pinned, her wings trapped by one of their hind paws each and both of them holding a shoulder with one of their forepaws. One of them had his other forepaw on top of her head, pushing it down against the stone ground, while the other one had his second forepaw on her back and his other hind paw was securing her tail. I could easily see how hard she had to battle her instincts to keep from fighting them off, her whole body shaking. Her eyes were locked on mine, wide and full of fear. Fear for me. Fear of what would happen to me if she fought.

"Not so mighty now, are you?" the fire dragon laughed. "Look at you. The Terror of the Skies, once feared by the entire dragon race, lying face down in the dirt. And _you_..."

He sneered at me, a look of utter contempt in his eyes. I glared back at him, hatred burning inside me like I could never remember feeling before. There was no doubt in my mind that if my powers were working I would have turned dark by this point. I almost _wanted_ to.

"Where is that limitless power now, purple dragon? Look. Someone needs your help. Isn't this your calling? Why don't you do something?"

I bit back a snarl. I knew what it would get me, but dear Ancestors, it was still a struggle!

"Treated like a god by the entire world, and elevated above the rest of us for something you did decades ago. Everyone still calls you a hero, but look at you now. Beaten by a couple of common dragons. Elementless. Half brain dead. And now you can't even save your mate."

This time I did snarl, baring my fangs, and I didn't care when the earth dragon pushed the blade against my neck hard enough to cut the skin and draw a thin trail of blood. The fire dragon only smiled that sick smile before turning toward Cynder, circling her slowly.

"Well, since you aren't going to stop us, I think it's time all of us have some _real_ fun."

The other dragons in the group all grew sadistic smiles of their own, and that was when the meaning of the dragon's words hit me full force. I froze—as in, it felt like the blood in my veins had actually turned to solid ice. Cynder went completely still at the exact same time, a look of immeasurable shock and panic showing in her eyes. Her gaze locked on to me again, and my heart felt like someone had just stabbed it with a thousand knives and twisted it into a knot at the same time.

No. No, no, no no no no no! NO! This couldn't happen! They had to be stopped! I looked around frantically, but there was still no one in sight. The only one who could fight was Cynder, but she wasn't. She was just lying there, frozen, trapped, staring into my eyes with that horrible look of terror, and despair, and helplessness that tore my soul apart. Come on, Cynder! Do something! She had to do something! Don't worry about what happened to me! Don't let him do this! Use your shadow to escape, or...or...fear! A fear fury! That could work! Hit all of us! Hit me! I didn't care! As long as it stunned everyone long enough to...

Why wasn't she doing it? Ancestors, no! He was almost behind her, and she still wasn't fighting! Damn it! She wasn't going to attack. She wouldn't risk my life, even to save herself. My powerlessness was dooming us both! With me as leverage, they had total control over her.

Well, then my only choice was to take that leverage away from them...

My face hardened into a cold, resolute glare, and a new kind of panic flashed in Cynder's eyes but I didn't let it sway me. I glanced to my left, and I saw that the earth dragon wasn't watching me. He had his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before us, a sickening look of anticipation on his face. It was enough to make me want to vomit, but it was also my chance. Moving slowly to avoid tipping him off, I angled my head slightly upward and to the right. Just a little more...

Before he even knew something was wrong, I jerked my head sharply backward. A wet squelching sound was heard as my horn stabbed into something soft, and then a screeching roar of pain filled the alleyway. The earth dragon's blade was pulled abruptly away from my neck, slicing across my scales and opening up another bleeding line in my skin, but it wasn't deep enough to threaten me. Taking this chance, I twisted out of the other dragon's grip and slashed at him with my claws while he was still dazed, catching him on the chest and leaving three gashes in his scales. He also gave a startled roar of pain, lurching back.

The other three dragons all looked up in my direction in shock.

"What—" the leader started to exclaim.

He didn't get to finish. Cynder let out an ear-splitting shriek and unleashed a massive blast of wind that sent the three dragons tumbling away from her. She was on her paws in an instant, face twisted into a snarl of depthless rage that I couldn't even begin to describe. She rounded on the leader immediately, roaring in fury.

Normally I would feel sorry for anyone that had to face her like that. But not him. Not now.

I didn't see what happened next. I had my own problems at that moment, as my fire dragon captor lunged at me angrily while the earth dragon hung back, still moaning in pain with a forepaw pressed over his eye, dark red fluid leaking out from under his toes. It looked like I definitely hit my target, but there was no time to celebrate here. I ducked a brutal swipe of the red dragon's claws, but then he sucked in a large breath of air and...Oh, damn. I had no room to dodge! I brought my wing up at the last second to shield myself, only to roar in agony as the searing heat ate at the membrane, leaving it blackened and blistered. The pain was so bad I couldn't focus on anything else. I didn't see the follow up strike, which caught my shoulder and drew more blood. I staggered, fighting to get my bearings.

The fire dragon lunged again, and I quickly spun around and lashed out with my tail to try and ward him off. It worked, but that was when I heard movement on my other side and looked just in time to see the earth dragon advancing on me, face twisted into a horrible snarl of fury that was only made more terribly by the blood running down from his now missing eye. He charged, his horns lowered, and I didn't sidestep quite quickly enough. One of his horns barely caught my side, the point opening a gash in my shoulder, and I snarled from the new source of pain. I slashed at him and scored a hit, knocking him back, but his tail flicked up unexpectedly and sliced across my flank. _That_ one hurt! There was no time to dwell on it, though, because he was already charging up an earth missile and I had to flatten myself against the ground to avoid it.

This was going badly. I was outnumbered, wounded, grounded, and I had no elements to counter theirs. I wasn't going to be able to hold out like this. I needed to even the odds somehow! But what could I—

I couldn't even finish my thought, because right at that moment the fire dragon slashed at me from behind and forced me to dodge away. Unfortunately this only brought me closer to the earth dragon, who took the opportunity to strike. He reared up, raising his forelegs to deliver a devastating overhand attack. He looked like he wanted to crush me! Actually, judging by the way his paws were glowing green, that was _exactly_ what he intended to do.

I reacted without even thinking. When his paws came down my uninjured wing came up, deflecting his attack to the side. His paws slammed down on the ground beside me, the impact shaking the whole alleyway and staggering both me and the fire dragon behind me. The earth dragon didn't hesitate to follow up with another attack, though, lunging forward to tackle me to the ground.

In one fluid motion that I didn't know I could do, I ducked low, used my wing once again to push his forepaws up and harmlessly over me, then planted my horns into his gut and reared up with all my strength. The earth dragon went sailing over me and slammed head first into the wall behind me, crumpling under his own momentum and collapsing into a heap on the ground.

For a second I could only stare at him in wide eyed shock. How did I do that?!

I was snapped rudely back to reality by the loud _WHOOSH_ of surging flames, and I looked up only to feel my stomach plunge in dread when I saw the fire dragon primed to leap, fire swirling around his body. Oh, _crap_. That was a Comet Dash! Looking around, I realized there was nowhere I could go to avoid it. I was trapped!

A jet of wind tore across the alley without warning, hurling the fire dragon sideways before he even knew what was happening. He impacted the wall near the unconscious earth dragon, and I heard a sickening series of cracks as his wing was crushed under the full weight of his body. His eyes bugged out before a hoarse roar of agony tore from his jaws. By the time he hit the ground he had already passed out from the pain.

My head snapped around toward Cynder, relief and gratitude surging inside of me like a tidal wave, but that feeling instantly turned to fear. Cynder had probably just saved my life, but it had cost her. She'd left herself exposed to help me, and the ice dragon took full advantage of it. A spear of ice embedded itself into her side, drawing a shrill roar of pain that echoed in my soul.

"NO!"

I lunged with complete abandon and absolutely no thought of my own wellbeing. The ice dragon let out a winded grunt as I slammed into him, knocking him away from my mate. He faltered and an expression of panic flashed across his face when he looked up at me, but I didn't care. My paw came down in a brutal strike, impacting his cheek and whipping his head to the side. My other paw came around in a follow up strike, a string of blood flying from his mouth when it landed, and while he was dazed I brought my head down and bit hard into his shoulder near the base of his neck. Now it was his turn to roar in pain. He kicked with his hind legs, opening up bleeding cuts on my stomach, but I didn't even flinch. My pain didn't matter. I just wanted to _hurt_ him for what he did! I bit down harder, the ice dragon giving a choked gasp as his eyes bulged, and after that I spun around in a circle and threw him hard against the nearest wall. He didn't rise after that, groaning weakly in pain and trying to stem the bleeding from his neck and shoulder with his forepaw. He wasn't going anywhere for a while.

I turned around, eyes searching for a new victim to satisfy my rage, but the electricity dragon was already down with several deep cuts and poison burns across his body—not dead, but definitely out of this fight—and Cynder was squaring off against the gang leader. The look of sadistic pleasure had been completely erased from his expression, replaced by panic and terror. He swiped frantically with his claws, but Cynder reared up and easily dodged the attack. A massive jet of flame rushed to meet her as she fell back to her paws, though, and her eyes widened in shock. My heart jumped into my throat when it reached her, and I was just about to scream her name when I saw the telltale smoky blackness of her shadow power slithering along the ground.

The fire dragon didn't see the threat until it was too late. Cynder appeared behind him with her claws poised, and the dragon roared in surprise and pain as they dug deep into his shoulders. With surprising strength Cynder threw him aside, where he hit the wall back first with a loud grunt. He tried to push off the wall and run, pure panic filling his movements, but Cynder's tail stabbed forward and he roared again as the blade dug into his side, the pain and pressure keeping him pinned in place.

She stepped closer, utter hatred and fury contorting her face into something out of a nightmare. Then she cracked her jaws open, and I was almost deafened when she unleashed a Siren Scream right into the fire dragon's face. His own scream was drowned out by the volume of the attack, and all he could do was cower away from her in absolute, primal terror.

Overkill? Maybe. What he deserved? Not even close.

Cynder's jaws snapped shut, cutting her screech off sharply and leaving the fire dragon whimpering and shaking like a leaf. Before he could do anything else Cynder yanked her tail blade out of his side and spun, her tail whipping around and slamming into the side of his head. There was an audible crack on impact and the fire dragon was thrown to the ground, rendered unconscious instantly. After that, silence fell over the alleyway.

Was it really over? My mind was still foggy with rage, but it slowly faded as realization dawned on me. It was. We'd fought them all off. We'd survived.

My eyes quickly turned to Cynder, concern and worry replacing my anger in a rush. She was staring down at the fire dragon, panting heavily, her whole body trembling. Her lips were still drawn back in a snarl, but I could also see moisture shining in her eyes. Slowly the look of fury slackened, until all that was left was a dull, empty expression.

I stepped forward carefully and delicately laid a forepaw on her shoulder. She jumped, spinning around to face me, but when her eyes met mine she went completely still. I saw so many mixed feelings in those eyes: fear, adrenaline, dazed confusion, panic, and primal instincts of survival, but slowly that all changed. First came relief. After that, sorrow. Her eyes watered up, and silently she leaned forward and buried her face in my chest, holding onto me with her forepaws like her life depended on it. It felt like my heart was shattering in my chest, and without hesitation I took my undamaged wing and wrapped it around her, holding her tightly and securely. I needed to make her feel safe. Absolutely nothing else mattered then.

I didn't know how much time passed. It could have been minutes, or hours. It didn't matter. Only she mattered, and I wasn't letting go until I was sure that she was okay. Slowly I felt her shaking start to calm, her unsteady breathing slowing down. Still I didn't move. Even once she had fallen completely silent I stayed in that protective position, covering her entirely with my wing and resting my chin against her head, like a living cocoon of security.

Finally, I felt her starting to move. I lifted my head, allowing her to do the same, and she lifted her gaze to meet mine. She looked entirely drained and more than a little withdrawn. It hurt to see her like that. She was like a scared child. The defiant, confident light in her eyes was suppressed, and that tore me up inside. Ancestors, why her?

However, what overpowered that broken look was an expression of concern. She looked me over, taking in my cuts and bloodied scales, and she gasped when she saw the severely burned state of my wing. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She seemed unable to put her worry into words.

"Come on," I said quietly instead, nodding my head toward the exit of the walkway that we had been heading toward before. "Let's get out of here."

She hesitated, her concern undiminished, but at length she nodded—it was all too clear that she wanted to leave that place behind as soon as possible. I rose to my paws and placed my good wing over her back, holding her close to my side. She paused only long enough to collect her jewelry and bag, and after that we left at a quick pace.

"It's late," Cynder muttered worriedly after a minute of silence. "We're late for your medicine. We need to get home..."

I looked down at her incredulously. Medicine? _That_ was what she was worried about right now?

"No," I said. "We need to go to the infirmary first."

"The infirmary?" she exclaimed. "Spyro, we have gems at home. Your medicine can't wait. If you don't have it soon, then—"

"I don't care. I'm not doing anything else until I know you're okay."

It was true. I wasn't the only one who was hurt. Cynder was covered in her fair share of cuts and bruises, and her injured side was bleeding badly. There were also burns on her chest and shoulders that weren't too severe but still looked painful. Not to mention what kind of emotional trauma she might be hiding. She needed a doctor, and she needed someone that could talk to her and make sure she was alright. I wasn't taking no for an answer.

So of course, that was exactly what Cynder said.

"Spyro, you don't understand!" she protested. "You _can't_ be late for your medicine! If you miss one dose your amnesia can regress. That medicine is the only thing keeping your memory in the state it's in right now, and without it we could be back to square one! We need to go get it!"

"Cynder, that doesn't matter right now. _You_ matter."

"Spyro, please!"

"Why?" I exclaimed, becoming exasperated. "Why is this more important than your own physical safety?"

"Because I can't watch you go through that again!" she shouted.

I faltered, drawing to a stop and staring at her with wide eyes. I wasn't expecting that intensity, and I wasn't expecting the desperate look in her eyes at that moment, tears glistening at their corners. It looked like just the thought of my condition regressing was more painful to her than anything. It left me feeling torn.

"Please, Spyro," she begged me. "I'm okay. My injuries can wait, but I can't stand to see the progress you've made over all of these years disappear. I can't stand to put our daughter through that. Please..."

I froze at the mention of our daughter, and my mind instantly returned to the tiny red dragoness that was waiting for us back home. Doubt crashed through my mind, and I was almost swayed by it, but I couldn't afford to be. I sighed heavily.

"But do you really want our daughter to see us like this?" I asked her quietly.

She hesitated, her eyes darting over our combined wounds again. They lingered especially on her side and my wing, not to mention the stains from blood that wasn't even ours. The blood on her tail blade, and my jaws. After a long pause she let out her own sigh of defeat.

"No..."

I looked down at her sympathetically, and when I couldn't stand to see her looking so dejected any longer I leaned down and nuzzled her tenderly, drawing her chin up. When I pulled away again I offered her a reassuring smile.

"Would the healers be able to get more of my medicine at the infirmary?" I asked.

She paused, surprise showing in her eyes before she looked away thoughtfully.

"Probably," she nodded slowly. "They must have some stocked up..."

I smiled wider. "Well then there we go. Both problems solved at the same time. We'll just have to make sure that someone goes to tell Ruby that we'll be late getting back and not to worry about us. Everything's going to be fine."

She held my gaze for a long moment, looking quite uneasy and skeptical, but very slowly a feeble smile began to work its way across her lips. She let out another weary sigh, leaning forward into me again. I held her just like before, like I was never going to let her go.

"Okay," she relented. "We'll do this your way."

I let out my own sigh, relieved by her decision. We stayed in that position for a moment longer, drawing strength from each other's presence. This had been such a close call. If we hadn't both made it out...No, I didn't even want to think about that. We were okay. Leave it at that.

I heard Cynder take a large, steadying breath after another moment, and I relaxed my hold on her.

"Come on," she said, motioning toward the street with her chin. "The infirmary's this way."

I nodded wordlessly, and with that we resumed our path toward the exit of the alleyway with my wing across her back. We could hear muffled voices up ahead now, likely citizens who had heard the commotion and were coming to investigate. I suppressed a groan. Their presence was a good thing in that it would allow us to send word of what happened to the proper authorities, but as my adrenaline wore off I was left feeling too drained to deal with any more hassles.

No, forget that. We had made it out of there, and we still had each other. To me, there wasn't anything else that mattered.

* * *

 **Mom and Dad never told me that this is what being a parent feels like.**

 **With the way Sparx and I were always getting into trouble, I almost thought that it would be constant hassle and worrying. But...I just can't even describe it. Ruby is such an incredible little dragoness. She's so young, but she already seems so mature and thoughtful. I'm so, so proud of her.**

 **Ancestors, I love her so much...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

I heard the chime of a bell from somewhere in the city, deep and reverberating. The sound carried easily over the rooftops, and I paused and looked up when I heard it. It tolled again a couple of seconds later, and then a third time after that. Three in the afternoon. Half an hour until classes were let out for the day.

I hurried to finish storing the last of the food I had just returned from the market with, a new energy filling me. It had taken a good chunk of time and a decent amount of help from several people I passed, but I had managed to find everything on the list that Cynder had left for me. Honestly, I was glad that she had. Picking up groceries from the market might seem like a chore, but when the alternative was to spend the day alone inside this house with nothing but books or exercise to occupy my time, it was a welcome diversion. With Ruby at school, Cynder at work, and Sparx...well...I...I just needed something to keep me busy. Going to the market wasn't so bad, anyway. It had given me an opportunity to stop and talk to many of the people I came across while I was out, and most of them had interesting stories to share.

With my work finished, I walked over to the table nearby and picked up the map that was lying on top of it. It was a rough hand-drawn map of a section of Warfang, with the location of our house marked on it as well as the school that Ruby apparently attended. Several major landmarks were also shown, enough to enable me to find my way on my own. Probably.

There was a small carrying bag sitting on the table beside where the map was, which I put on. With the map secured inside along with a small pouch of coins—just in case, Cynder had advised me in the morning—I stepped outside and took to the air. Angling toward the city centre, I set off.

I spotted what must have been the school after a few minutes of flying and tracing my route between landmarks. I consulted the map one more time to be sure I was in the right place, and it looked that way. I also spotted a few other dragons converging on the building, both in the air and on the ground. That was encouraging. Putting the map away again, I locked my wings and glided down into an open square in front of the building. Looking around, I located a small bordered lawn with a couple of trees where a small cluster of dragons appeared to have gathered to wait for classes to be let out. I hesitated for a few seconds, feeling slightly awkward, but then I shrugged and made my way over as well. If I was going to wait, I might as well do it comfortably. I found a clear spot in the sun and lay down facing the school, allowing the sunlight to warm my scales.

"Oh. Hello, Spyro," a female voice suddenly called to me. I looked over curiously and saw an ice dragoness in the shade of one of the nearby trees. "You're quite early today. Eager to see Ruby, are you?"

I cocked my head at her in confusion. The dragoness chuckled and rose to her paws, walking over to me and sitting down nearby.

"My son has classes with your daughter," she explained. "We often run into each other while picking them up, but usually you aren't here for a few more minutes at least. There's still a quarter hour before classes are done."

"Oh," I said, pausing to process this new information. "Well...just eager like you said, I guess."

The dragoness smirked at me. "Missing her, were you?"

My head rocked back, my cheeks flushing a bit from embarrassment. "I...Well, yeah. I mean, I only have so long to spend with her before I forget, so..."

Her smile turned somewhat more sympathetic. "Well, it won't be too much longer."

We chatted for a few more minutes, which mostly consisted of me asking about the classes that our children were taking. Eventually we heard a bell ring from inside the school, and not long after that the doors burst open and countless young dragons spilled out, smaller hatchling scampering over to their parents while the older students departed on their own, often in groups. I scanned the crowd intently, trying to pick out a particular glint of red. It wasn't too much longer before I spotted it.

A large smile appeared on my face as a small, bright red dragoness squeezed between the legs of some of the larger children, tripping and ending up flat on her stomach. She shook herself off quickly, then turned around to help pull another hatchling through the tangle. This one was an icy white shade, and the dragoness beside me straightened up at the sight of him. My attention was yanked back to the red dragoness when I saw her turn toward me, though, and her face immediately lit up.

"Daddy!" she yelled, and before I knew it she was sprinting toward me. I laughed as she ran headlong into my foreleg, grabbing onto it in a tight hug.

"Hey, kiddo," I said to her, leaning my head down to nuzzle her against her back as a way of returning her hug. "Did you have a good day in your classes?"

"We learned about crystals!" she said excitedly. "They're so cool!"

I chuckled. "That sounds like fun. You'll have to tell me all about it on the way home. You ready to go?"

She nodded quickly. "Okay. Bye, Blizzard!"

She waved at the other hatchling, who waved back enthusiastically. The dragoness I had been speaking to gave me a nod of farewell as she began guiding him away, which I also returned.

"Alright, let's go," I told Ruby, nodding my head away from the school.

I stepped out into an open patch of street and spread my wings to take off. Ruby immediately scampered toward me.

"Daddy!" she admonished me, giving me a pout. "I can't fly yet."

I faltered, my wings falling slowly.

"Oh," I said lamely. It seemed to obvious when I looked at her stunted wings, which hadn't grown nearly enough to support her. How could that slip my mind? "Okay. Well...do you want to walk, or would you like a ride?"

Her face quickly brightened. "I want to ride!"

My smile returned, and I lay down on my stomach with my foreleg extended to make a ramp. "Climb on up."

She clambered up my leg without hesitation, but while I expected her to settle on my back I was soon surprised. Before I knew it I felt her tiny claws scaling my neck, soon reaching my head. I grinned despite myself.

"What are you doing, you little rascal?" I chuckled. "You're going to ride up there?"

"Yep!" she answered eagerly. "I can see better here."

"Well...okay, but be careful. We don't want you falling o—Oof!"

I grunted when she flopped down on top of my head, pinning my crest flat beneath her stomach. Her forepaws hugged either side of my temples, and her hind legs gripped my neck while her tail dangled freely. Her wings braced against my horns, helping to lock her in place. I shifted my head slightly, both to judge how solid her position was and to adjust to the extra pressure on my neck.

Was this really happening? I was an adolescent in my last memory. Now here I was, carrying my daughter on my head. This just felt so...odd.

"I'm ready, Daddy!" Ruby declared, and I could feel her practically vibrating with excitement. "Let's go!"

I smiled, chuckling again. This felt incredible.

"Okay. Hang on tight."

My wings pumped downward, and Ruby let out a squeal of delight as we soared into the air. Once high enough I began searching for our route back home. I didn't immediately recognize it from here, and a feeling of worry grew in the pit of my stomach. Uh oh. One thing I really didn't want to do was get lost with my daughter. I was supposed to be taking care of her! I was just reaching for my map when I was interrupted by a small paw tapping my brow.

"That way," Ruby spoke up, surprising me.

I turned my eyes upward to see her looking down at me with a grin on her face, pointing with one of her little forepaws. After fumbling for a moment longer I gave a wry smile in return. It seemed more like she was the one taking care of me.

"Thanks."

The flight home from there was a short one, Ruby spending the time asking me questions about spirit gems and my experiences with them. She seemed particularly interested in the red variety, and when I asked why she answered that she liked them because the piece the teacher had shown them matched her scales. My mind went back to that morning, when Cynder had called Ruby her "little gem". Maybe this was part of the reason, beyond just her name.

Thanks to Ruby's direction, we arrived at the house in no time. This must not have been her first time guiding me. Once we were inside I hung my bag back up on the wall, and after that we settled down in the main living room, Ruby eager to show me what she had learned in class and me eager to get some time in with my daughter after she was away all day. Some time later the two of us found ourselves stretched out on the floor, Ruby sitting in the middle of a mess of parchment sheets that she was using to draw on with a set of coloured marking tools that must have been crafted by the moles, using different pigments and wax. I didn't remember ever seeing anything like them before, but they were clearly nothing new to Ruby.

She'd been working for at least a couple of hours by this point, her various drawings scattered around the floor. I was currently examining one of these drawings, which showed a rough representation of several spirit gem clusters, all of different shapes and sizes. Ruby was busily working on yet another picture that seemed to be of dragons using their elements from what I could see, her tongue poking out of the side of her mouth in an endearing fashion. Just at that moment she raised her head and looked around curiously.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"I can't find the yellow marker," she answered. She got to her paws and started searching around intently. "I need it for fire. Do you see it?"

I glanced toward my tail, where I spotted the marker in question lying on the floor. A small smirk crossed my muzzle and I discreetly curled the end of my tail around it. It didn't look like she'd seen this, so I started casually waving my tail back and forth where Ruby was likely to spot it.

"No, sorry. I don't know where it is."

"Aww," she complained. "But I need it! Where did it go?"

She performed a full circle before plopping down into a sitting position with a very puzzled look on her face. I had to work hard to keep from chuckling; it was just too cute! It was then that she seemed to notice the movement of my tail, and her eyes widened.

"There it is!"

"Huh?" I said, faking obliviousness while looking around. "Where?"

"Behind you!"

I turned my head to look behind my back, my tail swinging the opposite direction right past Ruby. I felt a small breeze as she swiped at the marker and missed.

"No, not there," I said.

"Daddy, your tail! You have it!"

"What? That's silly. Why would I have it?"

I faced her again, doing my best to put on a convincingly confused expression. My tail swung just out of Ruby's reach again, gaining a small exclamation from her.

"Daddy, stop!" she giggled, pouncing clumsily at my tail just as I pulled it away.

"Stop what?"

She pounced again, and once again I casually moved my tail just out of her reach. I laughed inside at her reaction, but I was also watching her face the whole time for any sign of anger or frustration. How awful would it feel to go too far and upset her over a joke? No, I couldn't stand that thought. To my relief there was a smile on her face as she also enjoyed our little game, and as she lined up for another lunge I saw a gleam of determination in her eyes that reminded me very much of her mother.

She jumped forward with a yell, and this time I moved my tail more slowly. Her small claws caught the edges of the hardened tip, and I let out an exclamation of mock surprise.

"Ah! My tail! Something's got my tail!"

I lifted my tail up into the air, but Ruby held on tightly with her claws, giggling loudly as she was dragged along and ended up dangling in front of me. With a grunt she pulled herself up far enough that the marker was in her reach, and with a quick snap of her jaws she caught hold of it. I could see the look of triumph on her face as she pulled it free.

"Ah goh ir!" she exclaimed, her words muffled by the marker.

"You thief!" I gasped, but my face quickly morphed into a devious grin. "Well, now I've got _you_!"

I pulled my tail around and lowered Ruby back first into a gap I had made between my forelegs and chest, earning a squeal from her. She flailed her legs as she tried to right herself, but my forelegs had her trapped in place. While she was vulnerable I leaned my head down toward her and used my snout to tickle her chest and stomach. Her eyes bugged out before she spat out the marker and gave a renewed squeal of laughter. Her paws began flailing even more frantically, striking my face, but fortunately her claws weren't sharp enough to cut my scales.

"Daddy, no!" she gasped out between laughs. "Sto-hop it!"

I didn't listen, and her laughter grew to a higher pitch as I continued tickling her. I kept it up for a short while longer until Ruby was practically wheezing, and only then did I stop. She let out a large gasp of relief and sagged back against my foreleg, trying to catch her breath.

"You're mean," she said, pouting, but I could see the humour in her eyes.

I stuck my tongue out in response, and she swatted at it with her forepaw since my head was still low enough for her to reach. I chuckled and retracted it. Ruby just smirked at me and continued batting my snout with her paws, as if in some kind of playful punishment. I moved my head down in a threat to tickle her again, and she yelped before bracing against the end of my snout with all four paws. I laughed, my voice sounding very nasal because of the pressure.

"You can't hold me back forever," I said. "I'm going to get you!"

"No you're not!" she giggled.

We continued in that manner for a few more seconds, each pushing against the other's resistance—lightly in my case, obviously—but with no progress being made in either direction. Just at that moment the sound of the front door opening reached us. Both me and Ruby turned our heads quickly toward the doorway, and I expected that a similar feeling of anticipation filled us both.

"What's all the noise I'm hearing in here?" Cynder's voice called out teasingly.

"Mommy!" Ruby exclaimed, her face lighting up.

I moved my forelegs so that she could finally roll over to her paws, and as soon as she was upright she dashed through the doorway into the front hall. I rose and followed, and when the foyer came into view I saw Cynder standing there with Ruby gripping her foreleg in a tight hug, quite similar to the greeting she had given me.

I was struck momentarily by the sight, my heart feeling like it was swelling in my chest. Seeing the two of them together like that...it was beautiful beyond words.

My family.

Cynder soon looked up and saw me standing there, a large smile crossing her muzzle. She beckoned discreetly with her wing, and I didn't hesitate to obey. I walked over to them and joined their embrace, smiling happily as Cynder nuzzled me.

"All done work for today?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yep. All finished. About time, too. The Guardians had me running around _all_ day. I could use a bit of a rest."

I grunted sympathetically and nuzzled her again. From the sounds of things her position at the Citadel was a _lot_ of work. When I'd asked that morning, she had said her official title was 'Facilitator to the Guardians', which apparently translated to her being the go-to dragoness for anything and everything they needed help with. From clerical duties to serving as a diplomatic aide, to security, to ambassador, and all the way up to battlefield commander if the need for it were ever to arise. She was a secretary, advisor, political figure and soldier all wrapped up into one. As she described it, it was her opportunity to do the most good possible both within the city and beyond it.

It sounded _exhausting_.

And yet here she was after a long day of work, greeting her family with a cheerful smile and no outward sign of weariness or impatience. I didn't know how she did it.

Cynder looked through the door that Ruby and I had just come through, spotting the mess on the floor, and she grinned wryly at the two of us.

"Looks like you two were having fun," she commented.

"Yeah!" Ruby exclaimed, letting go of Cynder's leg and stepping back with a bounce. "We were drawing, but then Daddy stole one of my markers, and when I took it back he tickled me!"

Cynder's face turned to one of feigned shock, and when she looked at me I grinned sheepishly.

"He did? It sounds like your daddy was being a bully."

Ruby giggled. "Yeah, and he was going to do it again when you came in."

"He _was?!_ " Cynder gasped again. She fixed me with a devious smirk. "Well, seems to me like you need to teach him a lesson. What do we do to bad guys, sweetie?"

I blinked, suddenly confused. "What?"

"RAAAAHH!" Ruby shouted, and I yelped as she charged me, eyes narrowed and with a large grin on her face—again, an expression that reminded me very much of Cynder. Before I could react she had leapt into the air and tackled my right shoulder, leading with a headbutt.

I barely felt the impact, and Ruby bounced off of me with a comical "Oof!", but I caught on quickly after that. I did my best to hide my laughter.

"Aagh!" I exclaimed, pretending to stumble away from the hit. "You got me!"

I let my left legs go limp and fell to the floor, rolling onto my side in a rather exaggerated show. The response was just what I was hoping for. Ruby cheered delightedly, and Cynder chuckled.

"Quick! Don't let him up!"

Ruby picked herself up off the floor and charged me with another playful roar, headbutting me once again. This time she hit my chest, and just like last time she bounced off without me really feeling anything, but I still grunted like I had been winded and rolled onto my back.

"Oh no! I can't fight her! She's so strong!"

The next thing I knew I felt an added weight on my chest, and when I tilted my head down to look I saw Ruby climbing to stand proudly on top of me. She smirked down at me, sitting back on her haunches and looking quite pleased with herself.

"Got ya!" she exclaimed.

"No, please, have mercy!"

Ruby giggled and swiped at my nose with a forepaw when I lifted my head up toward her. When her paw hit my nostril I sneezed involuntarily, and this only amused Ruby that much more. Soon enough she was swatting repeatedly at my snout, trying to make it happen again and laughing the whole time.

"Hey!" I protested, chuckling. "No fair! You already beat me. This is just cruelty!"

Predictably, she didn't stop. I could have easily rolled over and knocked her off of her perch, but I didn't. Hearing her laugh was just so incredible. I didn't want to disrupt it, ever. Of course, this couldn't go on indefinitely either.

"Okay, sweetheart. That's enough of that," Cynder finally stepped in, smiling. "I think he's learned his lesson."

Ruby paused, looking up at her mother with slight disappointment, but after that she gave me one last mischievous grin and swatted my muzzle a final time with extra force. It still didn't hurt, but I let out an exaggerated grunt anyway and let my head fall back. I went limp, as if her blow had knocked me out. Ruby laughed, and I could practically sense Cynder shaking her head in exasperation at me.

"Alright, Ruby. Let your father up."

Ruby obeyed wordlessly, and I felt her weight disappear from my chest as she hopped down to the floor.

"And you."

I grunted sharply when something struck me in the stomach, lurching upward and clutching at my midsection by reflex. When I opened my eyes I saw Cynder standing beside me with her tail raised, a smug grin on her face.

"Stop being so dramatic."

I shot a playful glare up at her, which she returned in kind. Ruby giggled at us, drawing out attention toward her.

"Now, Ruby, why don't you go clean up your drawings while we get ready for supper?" Cynder suggested. "Spyro, do you think you can help me with making it?"

I nodded, rolling back to my paws. "Of course."

She smiled gratefully at me. "Thanks. Once it's ready, why don't we all eat out in the back yard since it's still nice out? Ruby, I'm going to want to hear all about what you learned today."

Ruby gave her own eager nod. "Okay!"

"Great! Now, go and clean up. We'll call you when the food is ready."

Ruby gave one last nod before turning around and dashing through the doorway into the living room. I watched her for a brief moment, impressed by how quick and obedient she was with Cynder's instructions. She seemed like a very well behaved dragoness, and I felt a swell of pride in my chest. I was broken out of those thoughts when Cynder tugged on me with her wing, though.

"You coming?" she asked, smirking.

"Right, yeah. I'm right behind you."

She chuckled and began walking back through the house toward the kitchen. Her wing tugged at me again as she moved, pulling me along with her.

"Since you're tired I can do most of the work," I offered. "Just show me what you want me to do."

Cynder gave me another warm smile at that, leaning in to quickly nuzzle my cheek. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"And maybe while we're at it you can tell me about how your day went too."

"I'd be happy to. Let's get at it, then."

We stepped into the kitchen, Cynder moving toward one of the nearby counters, and I went to follow her but paused for a moment. I could see Ruby through another doorway into the living room, busily picking up her markers while Cynder began setting out cooking supplies. It was such a calm, homely scene, one that felt mildly familiar from my childhood in the swamp, but different and more precious at the same time. A large smile spread across my face.

As new as it all felt to me, family life suited me just fine.

* * *

 **Damn it. Why does this have to be so hard?**

 **I'm trying to stay positive. I mean, I need to be for Ruby's sake if nothing else, but everything I'm doing feels so...temporary. It's hard to feel happy about something that's so fleeting, and that I'll never get to look back on...**

 **But that isn't really fair, is it? I DO have things to be happy about. Ruby is so absolutely precious, and Cynder is incredible. I can't help but smile when I'm with them. Honest to the Ancestors, I have no idea how Cynder does it. The way she helps carry me through the dark moments I experience...there's no words to do her credit.**

 **If nothing else, I'm lucky for that. Cynder, I hope you know how much I love you, because there's no way I can ever express it enough...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

The night air was cool and peaceful. It blew in from the open doorway that led out to the balcony from our bedroom. I could just see the lower tip of one of the moons through the archway, casting a soft blueish glow into our room. All in all it was a very tranquil setting, and it was one that I hoped would work on my thoughts and troubles as I lay in our bed, Cynder's sleeping form tucked under my foreleg and wing.

I should have been feeling happy. All things considered, this may as well have been a perfect day. Cynder, Ruby and I had spent most of the morning exploring the market square, browsing the stalls of the travelling vendors. We hadn't bought much, but Ruby especially had loved checking out all of the foreign treasures, and it had been a joy for Cynder and I to watch her eyes light up every time she spotted something new.

In the afternoon we had stopped by one of Warfang's many parks to relax and play. Cynder had given Ruby a flying lesson—probably one of her first, from what I could tell—and our daughter had managed to stay in the air unassisted for at least five minutes, much to all of our delight. After that she had roped me into a game of hide and seek, which she obviously won easily since none of the bushes or trees in the area were anywhere close to large enough to hide an adult dragon like myself, and in the end it had simply devolved into a game of tag. Eventually Ruby had tired herself out so much that she'd just plopped herself in between me and Cynder for a nap with the warm sun shining down on her.

After she'd gone to sleep this evening, Cynder and I had retired to our bedroom and laid down beside each other on the bed for some quiet relaxation. She'd read a book. I worked on my journal, writing everything down in complete detail so that it wouldn't be lost forever. After that we had settled down exactly as we were now, watching the sun set and the moons rise until Cynder had finally fallen asleep.

It was an amazing day, one that had filled me with joy. I should have still felt that joy now. I _wanted_ to! But I couldn't. Instead, I was mourning.

Because I could feel it all slipping away.

Images and events from early this morning before we all left the house were already blurring, turning into fragments that were vanishing into oblivion and leaving obvious gaps. When I tried to think about one thing to keep it present, another would fade into nothingness. As I lay there in bed trying desperately to hold on to my perfect day my amnesia was stealing it away from me second by second, minute by minute. I knew that the moment I closed my eyes and let sleep take over, that would be it. It would be gone, forever. Just another day in my life that I would never remember. A day I would never get back.

I couldn't stand it! I couldn't bear to watch my life disappear! I was happy here with Cynder, and I loved my daughter to death, but what did any of that even mean in the long run? If Ruby left home one day, by the next morning it would be no different than if I'd never had a daughter at all! It didn't stick. It wouldn't last! _Nothing_ lasted!

And I _hated_ it!

I looked down at Cynder, lying peacefully against me with a faint smile on her lips, and as much as it shamed me I felt a swell of jealousy. She had everything I wanted. A family. Friends. A career. Things that mattered. Things that made _her_ matter in the world beyond this house. And most of all, she had all of her years of experiences with all those things that she could carry with her. The only one of those things that I could also call my own was family, but without the memories of it in my life it was like a crucial part of it was missing. I would never have the full experience. I would never have the sense of permanence to attach to it, because I wouldn't have any memory of it if it was ever taken away.

I would never have that feeling of completion. Of _being_ complete.

A hollow feeling opened up in my heart, like a sense of grief, and I couldn't take it any longer. I retracted my wing from Cynder's form and stood up, careful not to wake her with my movements. Once I was sure she was still asleep I walked silently out to the balcony, leaning my forelegs against the railing and letting out a heavy sigh. Down below the pools of water in the park behind our house caught the glow of the moons, shining like pockets of liquid light; the water gardens, Cynder had called them. They were a beautiful sight.

It was just another precious thing that wasn't going to stay.

I almost wanted to cry. I mean, this was the sort of situation that would warrant that, wasn't it? My life was literally disappearing. It was almost like dying, in a way.

Was that all I was? A ghost of a fifteen year old dragon who died saving the world, and now I was just pretending I still had a life to live? When that life was over it would amount to the same thing. Those first fifteen years would be the only thing I had left.

"It isn't fair," I mumbled, feeling a sting in my eyes, and I sniffed quietly.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, staring out over the sleeping city with that hollow feeling consuming me. It was long enough that I couldn't remember anything before me, Cynder and Ruby were walking through the market at any rate. It was at that point that I heard movement behind me.

"Spyro?"

I turned at the sound of Cynder's groggy voice, looking over my shoulder. She was walking out onto the balcony, rubbing her eyes with one forepaw, and when she lowered it there was a thoroughly confused look on her face. I sighed, laying my head back on my forepaws.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"What are you doing out here?"

I didn't answer. I didn't have the words, or the will. That was when I heard Cynder step up beside me. She slipped a forepaw under my chin, cupping my cheek with it and lifting my head so that I was facing her. That was when she must have noticed the film of moisture in my eyes, and concern immediately appeared in hers.

"Spyro, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

I sniffed again, pulling my head free and turning away to wipe at my eyes. Part of me felt angry—how could she _not_ know what was wrong? The rest of me didn't want her to see me in this state. What good would it do for me to drag her down too? She didn't need that. She didn't deserve it.

"Spyro, please," she said insistently, and the tone of her voice caused my heart to twist painfully. "Talk to me. Why are you upset?"

I heaved a sigh, realizing that she wasn't going to give up. I turned back toward her, but I couldn't meet her eyes.

"Because the day's over. And I'm going to lose it."

Cynder blinked, but slowly after that a look of realization appeared on her face. It didn't seem like she could come up with anything to say. I probably wouldn't have been able to in her place either.

"I don't want to lose today, Cynder," I said. My voice was slightly unsteady from the lump I could feel in my throat. "I loved it so much. I don't want it to disappear. I...I don't want to forget every moment I'm ever going to have with my family."

"Spyro..."

She shifted closer and reached her paw up to pull my face down to hers, pressing our foreheads together. Her wing circled around my back, and a shudder went through me. Feeling her so close...it only weakened what resolve I had left. I felt tears on my cheeks. I couldn't hold them back.

"I feel helpless," I whimpered. "I hate this! I hate knowing that there's nothing I can do to stop my memories from disappearing! I hate knowing that I've already missed so much, and every day there's just going to be more and more that I can't hold on to. The things I do. My family. For the Ancestors' sakes, I don't even know my own daughter!"

Cynder recoiled, pulling her head back to look at me with wide eyes. "Spyro, don't say things like that."

"It's true! I know nothing about her! I don't remember how old she is, or what food she likes or what kind of games she likes to play. Can she use her element yet? What is it? Does she have more than one? Who are her friends? I don't even know her _name_ until someone tells me in the morning!"

"Spyro, stop!"

I pulled my head away roughly, standing up and pacing farther away from her, growling from anger at my situation and embarrassment from my lack of self control. Tears were still falling from my eyes, and the lump in my throat was becoming painful. Speaking was starting to be a struggle.

"How many important moments in her life have I lost? Her first flight? The day she hatched? How many times have I forgotten my own daughter's hatchday? For that matter, how many times have I forgotten _yours_? I don't even know what day it's supposed to be on! I don't...I don't know _you_!"

I saw her flinch at that, but any reaction beyond that was lost as I closed my eyes against the flow of tears.

"Nothing about my own family has past significance to me. Every single moment I have with you and Ruby is taken away from me. All of it! I'm left with _NOTHING_!"

I slammed my forepaw down on the balcony furiously, and that was when the last of my composure shattered. I tried to choke back a sob but failed miserably, and I quickly turned away from Cynder and covered my face with a wing. Damn this amnesia! Ancestors, why wasn't there some way I could just get rid of it? Why did this have to happen to me at all?

Besides my muffled sobbing there was silence on the balcony. Cynder hadn't moved yet, and obviously I couldn't see her face to tell what she was thinking or feeling. Without her voice to help comfort me I felt painfully alone.

"I want to remember her," I whispered, my voice cracking. "And I want to remember you. Not the you from the war. The one I saw today, smiling and laughing, playing with your child. So full of _life_..."

There was silence again for a moment after that, but then I heard Cynder shifting and felt her wing over my shoulders again as she sat beside me. I still didn't look at her, too ashamed of myself.

"Today was so happy, and so perfect. But tomorrow it won't be there anymore, and...at the end of my life I'm not going to have a single thing I can look back on! It makes a day like this just feel...meaningless."

"Spyro, please," Cynder implored me, moving in front of me to try and force me to look at her. "This isn't helping anything! There will be more days like this one."

"More for me to forget."

"Spyro!"

I looked up into her eyes at last, and that was when I finally registered the wetness shining in them, just like mine. I faltered, but then my heart plunged like someone had just dropped it off a cliff. I was hurting her; the one thing I hadn't wanted to do was happening right in front of me. This couldn't get any worse, could it?

"I'm sorry," I told her, my voice tight. "I just...I want to be more than this! I want to be someone that actually matters in this family, but right now I feel like I can't contribute anything. I'm just along for the ride while all of the responsibility falls on you. I hate that! I hate feeling like a burden! Like I'm just...just _useless_! I—"

Out of nowhere pain exploded from my left cheek and the night air was split by a loud _SMACK_! I staggered to the side, my thoughts scrambled briefly. What happened?

That was when I noticed Cynder's expression, and I froze. She was _seething_ , her eyes blazing behind her tears. I pieced it together then that she had slapped me, and my paw went up to my cheek which was stinging fiercely. Thankfully I didn't feel any blood from her claws, but there were definitely marks and they _hurt_!

"Don't. _Ever_. Say that again," she snarled at me, and I shrank back as very real fear took hold inside of me.

"W...what?"

She reached forward and gripped the unharmed side of my face, holding me tightly and preventing me from looking away from her.

"You are _not_ useless!" she snapped. "Memories or no memories, you have been nothing but loving and dedicated to this family, every single day. You are the best mate I could ever dream of having, and you are a fantastic father. Do not for a _second_ doubt that! Do you understand me?"

The only thing I could do was nod. I couldn't remember ever feeling this afraid of Cynder before—and that included the time in which she was corrupted!

Seeing that her message had gotten through, she started to relax. A touch of guilt entered her expression, showing that she hadn't meant to scare me like she had, and her grip on my face turned into a gentle one. She allowed her tears to fall freely at that point, and before I knew what was happening she had pulled me closer and grabbed on to me with her forelegs and wings, pressing her head into the crook of my neck. I felt her shudder, and without even thinking about it I returned the embrace. My gut churned with guilt. This was quite the mess I had made.

"I know that I can't begin to understand what you're feeling," she told me in a tight, quiet voice. "But I do know how much you struggle with it, and I wish there was more I could do to help. I would do anything to fix this for you, or find some way to make you whole again, but the doctors have tried, and tried, and they haven't found anything. Medicine can't fix you. Magic can't fix you. The only thing we can do is cope with this together."

A rattling sigh escaped me. She was probably right, but it was just so difficult. It almost didn't feel worth it right now. I knew she wouldn't want me to give up, but how was I supposed to do this?

"I'm trying," I gasped, tightening my hold on her and fighting not to give in to my emotions again.

"I know," Cynder sniffed, raising her head to look at me, her wet eyes shining in the moonlight. "I know you are, and you've done such an amazing job of that, Spyro." The first hints of a smile appeared on her muzzle. "You've shown so much courage. I'm so proud of you, and I'm so proud to be your mate. I really mean that. And I'm proud of the father you are to Ruby, too."

I faltered at that, a confused frown growing. "But how can I be a good father when I don't remember her at all?"

"She doesn't care," Cynder told me firmly. "She sees how much you love her anyway, and the care that you show toward her every day. She _adores_ you, Spyro. You're her hero, and not because you saved the world. Seriously, she brags about you to her friends all the time."

 _That_ caught me by surprise. She wasn't just saying that as a joke, was she? No, I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was telling the truth.

"Really? Why?"

Her smile grew larger and more tender. "For the same reasons that I do. Because you get up every morning, put a smile on your face and make the most of every moment you have. Because you never take a single thing for granted, and because of how you teach our daughter to always be compassionate and respectful to the people around her, and to never back down when things get hard, just by acting that way yourself. Seeing you do all of that, even with your own memory working against you...it makes me love you more every day."

I was silent for a moment after that, studying her and trying to process this news. Eventually, though, I felt a thin ghost of a smile forming at the corner of my muzzle.

"Now you're just saying things to make me feel better."

"It's the truth," she replied, and her voice left no room for doubt. "Let me tell you something. We've been together for over sixty years. Other couples I've seen that have been together for that long have started to become complacent with each other, but not you. You've kept this relationship stronger than it's ever been because your enthusiasm for it never changes. Waking up in the morning is my favourite part of every day, because when you open your eyes and give me that smile, like you're seeing me for the first time...I can't describe how it makes me feel. Every date. Every family outing. Every kiss...it's like they're all happening for the first time all over again. As much of a struggle as your amnesia is, I'm at least grateful for that."

I could feel my smile growing wider, becoming easier to hold, and my breathing started to settle.

"Does...that include...?" I asked, my cheeks burning slightly.

Cynder slapped me again, but this time on the shoulder, and I could see the smile behind her look of anger.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I'm being serious!"

I gave a quite chuckle, and Cynder's expression relaxed again into a warmer, more relieved smile. My own expression clouded slightly, though, my doubts returning. Cynder must have noticed. She leaned forward and gently kissed the cheek that she had slapped before, regaining my attention.

"Don't doubt your importance to this family, Spyro, because I don't know what we would do without you in it. The biggest comfort I have is the knowledge that you're always there when I need you. No matter what it is, whether I'm sad, or angry, or stressed from a bad day at work, you always support me without fail."

I gave her a skeptical look, still not fully convinced. I still didn't see how I could be capable of that much when I needed my paw held for everything. She frowned, huffing in frustration.

"Need an example? Fine. Oh! Before we had Ruby, there was the time I caught Draconic Flu. In case you don't know, it's a disease that attacks our elements as well as our bodies. I was vomiting poison and coughing up shadow for a week, almost nonstop. I was an absolute disgusting mess, but you didn't leave my side _once_ , even though by doing so you were basically guaranteed to get sick yourself. I hit you point blank in the face with a fear blast, for the Ancestors' sakes, and you _still_ didn't leave! You just sat there, shaking from complete terror, and you took my paw, held a cloth against my head and told me I was going to have to try harder than that to make you leave, even though I'm pretty sure my fear made you think I had become corrupted again. _That's_ how devoted to me and Ruby you are!"

I had to give her credit: That was one serious example! I was stunned, and for a long moment I couldn't answer her. I had really done that? I mean, I couldn't imagine doing anything differently in that situation. If Cynder was hurt, or sick, or upset, there was nothing I wouldn't do to help her. That was something I knew for certain. The same with Ruby.

Huh. Maybe she did have a point.

"I don't care about your amnesia, Spyro," she continued, her tone changing again as she gave me a large smile that punched right through my sadness. "That devotion is something I love so much about you, and I wouldn't trade being with you for anything, problems and all. And I promise you, I will do everything in my power to show you that same devotion in return."

I felt a renewed sting of tears in my eyes as she said those words, but these ones weren't from grief. I reached forward and pulled Cynder into a tight hug, pressing my brow against hers and nuzzling her with a feeling of sheer gratitude. She pulled her head back just enough to lick the tear tracks off my cheeks, keeping the contact between us the whole time. After that she pressed into my hold fully, so close that I could feel her heartbeat through my own chest.

"Thank you," I gasped, my voice shaking. "Thank you for coming out here. It still hurts a lot, losing these memories, but I'm so happy that you're here with me."

"I'm not ever leaving your side, Spyro," she replied firmly. "Any time that you feel sad, I will be here for you, just like you're here for me. I promise you that. You might lose today, but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure each new day is just as good as this one. So instead of mourning today, try to look forward to tomorrow. Can you do that for me?"

Another smile stretched across my muzzle, and I turned my head to place a soft kiss on her brow. I was so lucky to have this dragoness. Without her...I didn't even want to think about it.

"I think I can," I said with a small nod.

"Good."

I let out a sigh of contentment, the last of my tears falling away, and for the next several minutes I stayed in that position, holding on to Cynder tightly. A short while later she pulled back enough to look into my eyes, and I was briefly lost in the deep emerald green of hers, shining stunningly in the moonlight. She leaned forward, and I closed my eyes as we locked in a kiss. All of my grief was erased at this point, leaving only comfort and happiness.

"Are you coming back to bed?" Cynder asked once she broke away.

I paused, considering the question. I looked out over the water gardens below us, taking in the reflected moonlight again, and after another second I was decided.

"I think I'll stay here a little bit longer, if that's alright."

She nodded. "Sure."

I smiled at her, but I didn't move. She watched me patiently, an amused sort of grin turning up the corner of her mouth when I didn't release her. I was reluctant to let her go. The feeling of holding her in my wings with our hearts beating against each other filled me with a kind of joy that I didn't ever want to stop, a kind of joy that I _needed_ with my grief still so fresh on my mind.

"Would you stay with me?" I asked slowly, feeling mildly embarrassed.

I saw a gleam in her eyes at the request, and I got the impression she was happy I had asked.

"Of course I will."

She shifted slightly so that she was facing out from the balcony without having to disengage from our embrace. Then she rested her head against the side of my neck, practically melting into me with a happy sigh.

"I'll stay with you always."


	5. 5 - Moving On

**...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

Was this house supposed to feel so empty?

I was sitting in the kitchen, looking around in a state of confusion. This house was so big and grand, but I seemed to be the only one in it. I guessed that that wasn't normally the case, because there were painted pictures of an adult version of Cynder around the place, many of them with an adult me—well, current me, I supposed—beside her. There were also pictures of what looked like a smaller red version of her. Our daughter. Ruby, according to my journal. Clearly this was their home too.

But where were they?

Something didn't feel right. When I'd woken up this morning I had felt drained. Emotionally drained. I didn't understand the feeling, but it left me very uneasy.

I didn't like this silence.

I couldn't take just sitting there any longer, so I got up and started pacing around the house to search for signs of Cynder or Ruby anywhere. Maybe this was some prank? Who knew? Maybe they did it to me every morning. Whatever it was, I couldn't find much sign of them anywhere. Upstairs I poked my head into what must have been Ruby's bedroom. Her bed was unmade, and some of her belongings were scattered about, almost like she had packed and left in a hurry.

I _really_ didn't like this silence.

A knock came from the front door that made me jump, but it was a welcome change from the quiet and I hurried down to the foyer. When I opened it I found an adult fire dragon standing on the step. He looked to be about my age, and he wore a medallion on his chest with a symbol for fire on it that I recognized from the swamp temple where Ignitus had trained me.

"Hello?" I said curiously.

The fire dragon smiled at me. It was a friendly sort of smile, but for some reason I thought it looked a tiny bit strained.

"Hey, Spyro," he greeted me warmly. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Uh...fine. I'm sorry, but...who are you?"

"Novus," the dragon answered with a small chuckle. "Fire Guardian, and your former classmate. We've known each other for roughly eighty two years now."

My eyes widened briefly, but then I relaxed. I obviously had no way of knowing if this dragon was telling the truth or not, but he wasn't giving me any signs of being untrustworthy.

Did he say eighty two years? That... _Wow_.

I took a step backward so that I was no longer blocking the doorway.

"Um...Would you like to come in?" I asked him.

He smiled at me again. "Thanks. I would."

Novus stepped past me into the house, and I closed the door behind him. Without really knowing what else to do I started leading him back toward the kitchen and dining room. Maybe it would be polite to offer him something to eat? I was just opening my mouth to do so when he spoke up, cutting me off.

"So, feeling alright today?" he asked me, sitting down on the floor near the table and facing me. "Have you had your medicine already?"

I was somewhat surprised by the question, but I nodded anyway. "Yeah."

"Good. Good. Umm..."

He trailed off, looking around, and I could only frown at him in confusion. He seemed very preoccupied, and for some reason it seemed like he was having a hard time looking at me for more than a few seconds. Was this normal behaviour for him?

"Oh, wait, have you not eaten yet?" he asked me, apparently noticing the lack of any dirty dishes or other cookware. "Sorry, I figured you would have by now. Here, I'll get something for you."

He started to move toward one of the cupboards on the wall, finding the plates like he already knew where they were and moving toward a door that seemed to serve as a storeroom for dried meat, but I stopped him before he could go any further.

"Hey, hold on," I said, holding a paw out. "Sorry, I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but...is there something you needed? This all seems a little odd. Are...are you looking for Cynder? She doesn't seem to be here right now, but maybe..."

I trailed off when I noticed him flinch at Cynder's name. My unease from earlier returned in force. So I was right: He _was_ here about Cynder, and apparently whatever it was it wasn't something good. She wasn't in any trouble, was she?

Novus let out a heavy sigh, lowering himself into a seated position again and looking away from me. I could see the tension in his body, like he was faced with doing something he found distasteful. This did _not_ reassure me.

"Look, Spyro, there's something I need to tell you," he said slowly. "There...isn't really an easy way to put it, so I guess I'll just come out with it..."

He looked briefly up toward me, and his features became pinched when he saw my confused, anxious expression. His gaze lowered again, and he let out another deep sigh before forcing himself to meet my gaze squarely.

"Cynder's...gone."

I just stared at him for a long moment. My mind couldn't process that word. Gone? What did he mean, gone? Gone how? Gone _where_? I didn't understand what he was telling me. Part of me didn't want to, either. His words, coupled with his tense, regretful demeanour...

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly.

He let out a muffled groan and pulled a forepaw over his face, seeming very reluctant. At length he forced out a sigh.

"She's dead."

My whole body froze, and my heart felt like it had completely stopped beating. I could only stare at him in numb shock as that word—that horrible, _horrible_ word—echoed inside my mind.

Dead?

My breathing began to pick up, my chest feeling constricted as my heart woke up and started racing. No. No, no no. That wasn't right. That couldn't be true! Cynder couldn't be dead! She just _couldn't_! She was supposed to be here, with me! That's what the pictures all said. The necklace and rose on her end table beside my bed! The faint _smell_ of her on the covers! She had to be alive! She _had_ to be!

I _needed_ her to be!

"You're lying," I said quietly. My whole body was so tense I felt like I might snap in half.

He looked up at me with mournful eyes, and this only made me feel more defensive.

"I'm really sorry, Spyro. I know this is the last thing you wanted to hear, but—"

"No!" I cut him off sharply. "Just stop. I don't believe you!"

Novus groaned with obvious frustration, rising to his paws and taking a step closer to me.

"Buddy, I know how hard it is to hear this, and I get that you don't want to believe it's true, but there isn't any way around this. I really, really am sorry, but this isn't something that will go away when you wake up tomorrow morning. She's dead, and—"

His words were cut short when my balled forepaw struck the side of his face, knocking his head to the side and forcing a sharp grunt out of him. I growled threateningly, glaring at him with my fangs bared, my whole body shaking.

"Stop saying that!" I snarled.

Novus reached up with his forepaw and rubbed his cheek gingerly. I couldn't tell whether it was anger or sadness that coloured his expression. It might have been both, but I didn't care. My own emotions were storming inside of me, threatening to overpower me completely. There was anger, confusion, and most of all fear. Fear that he _was_ telling the truth. Fear that Cynder was really...

No! _No!_ She couldn't be! She had to be okay! Please, please Ancestors, let her be okay! Please!

"Feisty today, huh?" Novus muttered. "Damn it, why did this have to be my day? Alright..."

He took a long, deep breath, straightening up and turning toward me again. My eyes narrowed into a glare, but I faltered soon after that. I finally registered what his expression was showing.

Grief.

"I know how you feel right now, Spyro," he said to me, trying to keep his voice calm. "I know it's nothing compared to your pain, but you're also not the only one hurt by this. Cynder is... _was_ a very close friend of mine too. Ancestors know I didn't want to believe it either. When we heard she was missing...I wanted to think something had just come up that delayed her, but then we found her, and..."

He broke off, turning his head away with his jaw clenched. I felt my anger melting away more as I watched him struggling to stay composed. As the anger faded, that crushing fear returned. It felt like a hole was opening up in my chest, and it hurt more and more with each second that passed like this.

Gone. She couldn't...she couldn't really be gone, could she?

"Come on," he sighed. The friendly light was gone from his eyes, replaced by resignation. "I'll take you to her."

He turned back toward the front door, and I noticed the droopiness in his wings and tail as he started walking away. Wow...he really was hurting, wasn't he? So, that really did mean that...

Novus paused and looked back at me when he noticed I wasn't following. I couldn't bring myself to move, though, something like terror keeping me rooted to the spot. This was becoming too real. I still didn't want to believe it was possible, because if it was true then that would mean that I was alone, and I didn't think I could manage if that was the case. I needed her here with me, not...

I saw that Novus was still waiting for me, and I swallowed the lump of fear in my throat. I had to do this. I had to know for sure.

As we walked toward the front door I looked around the empty house again. That was when a new thought struck me, and I looked up at Novus quickly.

"Where's Ruby?"

"She's staying at a friend's house. Mornings are a bit easier for her that way."

Neither of us said anything more after that. I just couldn't find any words. The walk through Warfang's streets was a horribly quiet one, and with each step we took I felt my gut knotting more and more tightly. I imagined this was what a prisoner being escorted to the gallows must feel like. I was almost sick with fear— _physically_ sick—and I couldn't bring myself to think about what was at the end of this walk.

It might have been my imagination, but it seemed like several of the people we passed in the streets turned pitying looks toward me.

Eventually Novus turned up the steps of a large stone building, and we entered through a pair of broad oak doors. Inside was a wide hall with many rows of seating, different sections designed to accommodate different creatures. At the front of the hall was a large casket, and I froze solid at the sight of it.

This...this was a nightmare. That's what it was. It had to be. This wasn't real! Cynder wasn't...she wasn't...

Novus had paused at the front of the hall, and now he was looking back at me and watching me with a blank mask covering whatever emotions he was feeling at that moment. My limbs were shaking as I slowly walked up to join him, the trek seeming to last for an eternity. The casket was set on a raised platform at the front of the room, and climbing each step was an agonizing struggle. At length I was standing beside Novus, though.

He let out a quiet sigh, and after that he reached up and pushed the lid of the casket aside, letting light shine into the interior. My breath caught in my chest, my whole body going numb.

It was her.

Cynder was lying on her side within the casket, her eyes closed and a slack, almost peaceful look on her face. She appeared to be asleep at first, and I hung on desperately to that last tiny shred of denial. Maybe this was still some horrible, elaborate joke, and in a moment she would jump up and yell "Surprise!", and then I would scream at her for scaring me this badly, and then...then she...

She wasn't moving.

She was just...lying there...

It was at that moment that I started to notice the small scrapes that marred her scales, and the barely noticeable spots along her limbs where the alignment wasn't _quite_ right. I lifted a shaking forepaw and slowly lowered it into the casket, drawing agonizingly closer to her form. Finally I laid my paw gently on her cheek, hoping beyond hope to see her eyelids flutter, to feel her move, _anything_...

She remained stiff. Her scales were cold.

I choked, my throat clogging instantly from a painful lump. My lip began trembling, my eyes stung fiercely, and then I was sobbing uncontrollably and tears were pouring down my cheeks before I even knew what was happening. My wings were hugged against my sides, and I curled in on myself like a wounded animal as a pain that I couldn't begin to describe tore my heart to pieces. All of the strength left my body. I was left as nothing more than a shivering, weeping mess.

Dead. Cynder was _dead_. She was actually gone.

Another ragged sob burst from me, and I had to turn my head away. It was too painful to see her lying there, unmoving, never to open her eyes again—oh, Ancestors, I would never get to see those beautiful green eyes again!—I just couldn't bear it! This couldn't be happening! Novus took that as his cue to move closer to me, pulling a wing around my shoulders, and I couldn't help myself after that. I collapsed against him, pouring my pain out.

Why? _Why_ did she have to be gone?! It was so unfair! It felt like just yesterday that the two of us were together, fighting Malefor, saving the world side by side! I was supposed to have my whole life to look forward to with her! But now, instead of that, Novus was here telling me that at least _eighty years_ had gone by, and Cynder was...All the time I was supposed to have with her...it was all _gone_.

And I couldn't remember a single damned _moment_ of it.

"W...what h-happened?" I forced out between sobs.

"An accident," Novus sighed, rubbing my back with a paw at the same time. "A week ago she left for Avalar to help re-negotiate a resource treaty with the cheetah tribe. It was supposed to go smoothly. She was only supposed to be gone a day, but on the night she was supposed to fly back a storm blew in."

I cringed, hundreds of possibilities and horrible scenarios running through my mind at those words, but also just as many questions. Cynder was a skilled wind user. How could a storm of all things kill her?

"When another day passed without her reporting in, we knew something was wrong," Novus continued solemnly. "There was no way she would ever leave you waiting that long for her. She hated being away from your side. She would have at least sent word home by that point if she couldn't come back herself. So, Flora—the Earth Guardian—and I led a search party along her expected flight path, and you insisted on coming along. We found her halfway to Avalar..."

He trailed off for a moment, his face turning grim. I felt him shiver, as if he was reliving the moment of that terrible, _horrible_ discovery. I tried not to imagine the scene, but I couldn't stop myself and a fresh flow of tears spilled out of my eyes.

"From the charring that was on her tail blade, we think she was struck by lightning while trying to dive for the trees. She crashed...For what it's worth, all the signs say that she died instantly. She didn't suffer."

It wasn't worth much. Sure, it was a small comfort to hear that she didn't die slowly, broken on the ground and alone, but compared to the pain of losing her it was next to nothing. She was gone. _Gone!_ Forever! But...she just...she just couldn't be gone! I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she wasn't going to be here with me anymore. That was one of the last things I could remember her saying to me, for the Ancestors' sakes! 'I'm with you,' even as the world was ending around us! But now...

Ancestors, what was I supposed to do without her?

I voiced that question to Novus. He gave another sigh.

"For right now, don't worry about that. The funeral is this afternoon, so just focus on that for the time being. As for your care...we have suggestions, but the final decision will come down to you and Ruby. We'll discuss it more afterward."

My head twitched up slightly at the mention of my daughter's name. "Can...can I see her now?"

Novus patted my back again and nodded. "Of course. Come on."

He removed his wing and stepped back, holding my shoulders for a second and looking sympathetically into my eyes—maybe making sure I was okay to stand on my own. After that he closed the lid of the casket again, and I stared at it blankly for a long moment as Cynder was hidden from my view. The image of her lying motionlessly in that...that _box_ was burned into my mind, and I was powerless to stop seeing it. I didn't want to leave her here, but I _needed_ to see Ruby now. She was probably hurting just as badly as I was. I couldn't leave her to be alone.

The walk back through the streets was even more depressing than the first one. I spent the entire time trying to dry my tears, but it was a nearly impossible task. I kept trying anyway. Ruby would need me to be strong. I _had_ to be strong for her, even if I felt like completely breaking down inside. The pitying looks continued as well, and they were even worse than before.

After a few minutes more Novus stopped at an unfamiliar house. I looked at him questioningly, and he nodded toward the door. I hesitated for what must have been at least a few minutes, fighting to scavenge up enough courage to move but always faltering. Finally I stepped over to the door and knocked. A moment later a dragoness answered it, and understanding flashed in her eyes as soon as she saw me. She stepped back into the house, the door swinging shut behind her, and a minute later she opened it again. This time she wasn't alone.

A jolt of mixed shock and grief struck my heart at the sight of the teenaged, red-scaled dragoness that looked just like Cynder had in my last memory, except for her soft purple eyes that mirrored my own and the crest on top of her head.

She didn't say anything. I could see that her eyes were red, probably like mine were, with dried streaks down her face. Her eyes almost immediately became wet again at the sight of me, and she leaned forward into my chest without a word. I instinctively pulled my wings around her, covering her in a protective shell, and I leaned my head down to press my snout against her forehead. I couldn't think of anything to say to her, and it seemed like she still couldn't find any words in this situation either. For the next minute both of us simply took solace in the presence of the other, and I could feel her shaking under my wings, and it took all of my strength and will not to do the same. In the back of my mind I considered the fact that I didn't actually know a thing about the dragoness I was holding, but what did that matter? This was my _child_ , and my protective instincts were flaring up in force.

At length Ruby pulled back slightly, bringing a forepaw up to wipe at her eyes. I noticed the new wet streaks on her face and gently leaned my head down to lick her cheeks dry. She squirmed and give a quiet snort, the tone sounding somewhere between annoyed and a faint ghost of amusement.

"Dad..." she protested feebly.

I offered a faint smile. "Sorry...You holding up okay?"

She was quiet for a short moment, looking up into my eyes, but eventually she gave a small nod.

"Yeah, I'm...yeah..."

My heart twisted in my chest, sympathy filling me at the dull tone of her voice. I brought my head down again to nuzzle her, and Ruby let out a quiet sigh and leaned into it, the hold on me she had with her forelegs tightening slightly. She was still shaking, and I tried everything I could think of to comfort her, rubbing her back gently with a forepaw and muttering any kind of reassurance I could come up with. For the longest time I couldn't tell if it was working, but she didn't resist and I didn't stop trying. Finally she was still, and for another minute after that neither of us moved an inch.

"Do you want to get out of here for a while?" I asked her. "Go and find some place to just...take our minds off things?"

Ruby was silent for another moment, and I could see the look of contemplation on her face. At length she nodded, and I nodded back.

"Are you hungry? How about we start with some food, and then...well, we'll figure that out, I guess."

Ruby looked up at me and sniffed, wiping at her eyes with a folded wing. She tried for a smile, the corner of her mouth twitching up slightly.

"Yeah, okay."

I put as comforting a smile as I could on my own face, even though the expression felt like a lie with the anguish that was inside of me, and with that I pulled my wings back reluctantly and rose to my paws. Ruby was slow to let go of me, but eventually she managed it and stood close to my side. My wing fell over her back and shoulders automatically, a constant signal of my presence. In that fashion we headed off down the street after Novus assured me that he would check on us later, me lending Ruby all the strength I could muster, and Ruby acting as our guide.

We did the best we could to pass the next couple of hours without confronting the heart-rending absence of Cynder among us. Eventually, though, the time we were both dreading arrived and there was no escaping it any longer. Novus tracked us down and in heavy silence the three of us made our way to the hall where the ceremony would be held. Each step closer became more and more of a struggle, and inside it felt like someone was crushing my stomach and chest in a vice. I could hardly breathe, and it took everything I had in me to keep a steady face. I would _not_ break down in front of my daughter. I _couldn't_.

The hall was packed full of people, and this caught me by surprise. To say it was awkward when we walked in would be a massive understatement. Everything went silent almost instantly, and every single being in the room turned toward me and Ruby. I almost ended up shielding her with my wing as if their stares were dangerous to her, and I felt her press tighter against my side.

Oh, Ancestors, this was going to be torture.

There were alarmingly few familiar faces within the hall, which caused a new swell of fear within my chest. Cyril and Volteer were the only ones I recognized, standing on the platform at the front and both watching me. They looked so much older than I remembered, and Terrador was conspicuously not with them. There was also a group of cheetahs that I assumed must be from Avalar, and even some atlawa and manweersmalls from Tall Plains and Boyzitbig, but no Hunter, or Prowlus or Meadow, or Kane, or Mole-Yair or Exhumor.

And then there were the dragonflies. A cluster of them hovered above the front row of seats, all watching me with sorrowful expressions. They had a feeling of familiarity about them, many of them bearing features that I could recognize from my parents or Sparx, but Sparx and my parents weren't there, just like my other friends.

Grief stabbed right through my heart as that cruel realization hit home, and I almost lost my balance. It wasn't just Cynder. Almost _everyone_ that I knew...they...

I couldn't do this. I couldn't take it! Why this? Why!?

I felt a tug on my leg, and I jumped from the unexpected sensation. I looked down quickly, and my breath caught painfully when I saw Ruby gazing back up at me with that worried, helpless look in her eyes.

No. No, I couldn't do this now. I couldn't lose control. Ruby needed her father right now. I _needed_ to stay strong.

Ancestors, please, help me.

I had to look away from the casket as we finally found our seats at the front of the hall. Novus helped me with introductions to the dragons and various other creatures around me. Besides Cyril and Volteer there were also the other new Guardians, all up on the platform ready to give the ceremony. There were also various friends of Cynder's and mine that had come to give their support, and Novus confirmed my earlier suspicions that the dragonflies that clustered around us were family from the swamp, Sparx's descendants. The rest of the hall was packed to capacity with citizens who had all come to pay their respects to Cynder.

It was actually a very welcome surprise to see so many people there, and for just a fleeting moment my heart warmed with gratitude for this gesture. She had done it. The fears that Cynder had confessed to me during the final days of my memories about being shunned and rejected for the rest of her life had been utterly put to rest. Her redemption was plain as day to see in the crowd that had come to honour her in her passing, and I was so, _so_ proud...

I just wished she was here to see it with me.

I heard a small sniffle beside me, and when I looked down I saw Ruby with her head bowed, fresh tears on her cheeks. My wing encircled her more tightly, holding her close to my side. It was a struggle to keep my own eyes from tearing up.

I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat at the front of the hall, and I looked to see Cyril standing at a podium overlooking the rows of seats, his expression taught and grim. Well...I supposed it was that time. Was I going to be able to get through this?

"Attention, everyone," the former Guardian said in a wizened voice. "As all of you are already aware, we're gathered here to commemorate a...a difficult loss. The loss of a dragoness that was taken from us long, long before her time."

There were several nods of agreement from the audience. I bowed my head with my eyes closed, focusing as hard as I could on my breathing to keep it steady. As long as I just kept taking slow, deep breaths, then maybe I wouldn't cry in front of my daughter...

"It is well known that Cynder's life was...complicated," Cyril continued after a brief pause. "The stories of horror and tragedy that followed her early years do not need repeating, but thankfully that is a chapter of her story that is long since past. Let's not dwell on it, but instead turn our focus to the chapters to follow that she wrote herself. The Cynder _we_ knew was the archetype of strength and selflessness. Rather than surrender to guilt after her release from servitude to darkness, she dedicated herself to making right the wrongs of her captors. I have never in my life seen anyone so devoted to the betterment of the Dragon Realms and its allies, and to the lives of the people she interacted with daily, nor anyone so committed to caring for her family and expressing the love she had for it. I could go on for hours listing examples of the noble acts she performed in service to those around her, but instead I will simply say this."

He paused again, looking briefly toward the casket beside him. The top was propped open again, though I couldn't see inside of it from my angle. Cyril took a long, steadying breath, and when he looked forward again his face was one of resolve.

"I am _proud_ to have known her," he declared firmly. "I am proud to have had the privilege of being her teacher, and more than that of calling her my friend, and I am proud to have watched her grow into a dragoness that we can all look to as a role model in the future. And to all of you who have come to join us here tonight, I say thank you. Thank you for coming to show your respect for Cynder and for the life that _she_ chose to lead, rather than the actions that were forced onto her. I know that your attendance here tonight would mean the world to her, as I'm sure it does for her family that join us. Thank you."

He stepped back from the podium, and a rumble of agreement and soft applause from the crowd followed his words. I could only stare at Cyril in amazement. To hear someone so proud and so sure of their superior lineage speak about someone else in such reverent terms...I really, _really_ wished that Cynder could have heard it.

The sense of pride from before worked its way back into my chest. That was my mate he was talking about.

I looked down at Ruby and saw a faint smile on her face, gratitude showing on her expression as she watched Cyril return to his seat on the platform. A similar smile formed on my lips, and I squeezed her shoulders with my wing.

The rest of the evening passed in a similar manner. Volteer and each of the new Guardians added their own eulogies to the ceremony, each of them with a common message: Cynder was kind, compassionate, resilient, and strong. She was a hard working contributor to peace and prosperity in the Realms, and an unwavering friend. The picture that was being painted of her in my head was everything I remembered about her from decades ago minus the doubt and guilt, all amplified to a whole other level.

Ancestors, what I would give for a chance to see it.

Flora's speech was the last one, and it was also the hardest for me as a listener. She had broken down halfway through, tears leaking from her eyes, and it had been an obvious struggle for her to get through the rest of her words without succumbing to a fit of sobbing. When she retreated to her spot on the platform to the comforting wings and hushed words of her colleagues, a cold pit formed in my chest as I realized what was coming next.

"Thank you, Flora," Cyril spoke up. "I would now like to invite Spyro, mate of the departed, to come up and say a few words if he so desires."

All eyes turned toward me, and a respectful hush fell over the hall. I shrank in on myself slightly, feeling like my heart was lodged in my throat. I was still fighting back the breakdown that Flora's speech had almost brought out of me, and now they wanted me to speak myself? I couldn't trust my voice at all right now, not with the painful lump I could feel in my throat.

No, no, I had to do this. Cynder deserved to be sent off with the proper respects. This was my last chance. I needed to do this for her.

I gave Ruby another squeeze with my wing, lowering my head to press my brow against hers and taking a moment to draw strength for myself from her presence. I felt her shudder when my wing was retracted, pain showing in her eyes, and if not for the insistent nod she gave me to proceed I would have lost my nerve right then. Instead I nodded back and slowly made my way up the steps toward Cyril. When I reached him he placed his paw on my shoulder, squeezed it, and offered me a smile that conveyed all of his sympathy and support. I nodded in thanks, and after that I was on my own.

I froze almost immediately, seeing the hundreds of pairs of eyes watching me from the stands, belonging to all sorts of creatures. There were no words coming to my mind. I had no idea what I could possibly say to these people, and as the silence dragged on the feeling of panic in my chest only got worse and worse. I needed Cynder at my side at that moment. I needed to hear her say that she was with me, so that I could know that I wasn't facing this on my own. How was I supposed to do this without her? How was I supposed to do _anything_ without her?

My head turned to the left, and my eyes lowered until they met Cynder's still form, at rest in the padded casket and subtly accented by roses, an image of peace and cold beauty. I shuddered, a sob catching in my throat, and I blinked rapidly to hold the tears back. The pain was indescribable, but seeing her hardened my resolve. Again, I told myself that I would do this for her.

I turned back to the crowd, clearing my throat shakily to try and remove the lump.

"I..."

My voice broke immediately, and I cursed to myself as I cleared my throat again. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It rattled as it came out, so I took another one. Settle, Spyro. Settle. Do this for her. Stay strong for her, and for Ruby. Don't let her see you weak. She needed her father to be strong now. Do this for her too.

"I...don't really know what to say," I confessed. "There's...There's been so many kind words said about Cynder already, and...I suppose I just want to thank you all for them, and everybody for coming. It...It really does mean a lot to me—and to Ruby, I'm sure. I...I'm sure Cynder would be grateful for it too."

There were a few nods among the audience. I took another slow breath.

"The words that everyone has said so far, and the stories that have been shared...I'm not going to lie when I say that I...I feel a little bit cheated. I wish that I had more stories like them that I could share myself, but..."

I trailed off, unable to come up with any words to continue with, and I shut my eyes again against the renewed stinging. The sympathetic looks that I was receiving made it all the harder to keep composed. I was surrounded by people that all seemed to care about me. Family. Friends. It would be so, so easy to break down now among them.

I couldn't. Not yet.

"I'm grateful for those stories, though," I said, as steadily as I could manage. "When I defeated Cynder...I guess that's a long time ago now...When I defeated her in Convexity, and saw for the first time what she really was...I knew there was something special about her. It didn't take me long after that to see what it was, and now, hearing what's been said about her, and seeing all of you...From the beginning she was turned into a weapon, and it would have been so easy for her to let that define her, but just look at how many people she brought together here."

Many of the audience members turned to look around at the gathering, and I could hear several of them agreeing. Most of the Guardians were smiling now. Volteer and Cyril were both nodding their heads approvingly. I looked at Ruby, and I saw the glistening of tears in her eyes, but also the way she now sat tall with pride.

"She was an amazing dragoness," I said, my voice once again starting to shake. "I may not have any memories of our time together, but that's something I do know, and I know that I loved her, and that I'll miss her. Even without the memories, I am grateful for the time I had with her, and I'm also grateful for the part of her that will live on in our daughter. Seeing how she's handled herself so far today...I'm certain that Cynder would be very proud."

Ruby looked at me in surprise, but then a small hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. I saw my dragonfly relatives gather around her, all showing their support and agreement, and I myself smiled.

I lingered there for a second longer, but I was out of words to say. There was only one left on my heart, and it wasn't one for the audience. I turned to my left and stepped away from the podium, approaching the casket slowly. For a long moment all I could do was stare down at the still form of Cynder. My closest ally during the war. My dearest friend. My mate, and from what everyone said she was very happy being that. I hoped so. I hoped I had been able to give her joy during her life, even if I couldn't remember any of it now.

I felt a trickle of tears starting to fall from the corner of my eye, and I couldn't hold them in this time but I stood firm in spite of them. Slowly I raised my paw, pressed it against my lips and then gently laid it on Cynder's cheek, holding it there for a long moment.

"Goodbye," I whispered.

I took my leave from the stage after that, returning to my seat. My dragonfly family rushed to praise me for my speech and console me, and I accepted it all with a small smile but my attention was mostly on Ruby. I laid my wing across her back as I sat down beside her and pulled her close to my side. She rested her head against my shoulder, burying her face in my scales, and after that I could feel her shuddering. I finally let my own pain out then, though I did it silently.

The rest of the ceremony was likewise quiet. There was a brief period in which the Guardians invited anyone else up who would like to pay their final respects to Cynder, and a line formed in front of her casket, mostly of friends she must have made during life but also some strangers too. Among them were the leading representatives of the cheetah and atlawa tribes and the manweersmall people. After that the casket was closed and a pair of shadow dragons stepped forward from the audience.

I watched in confusion, but also a faint feeling of wonder, as they breathed a silent, steady plume of shadow fire over the casket. It didn't burn, but rather it and the body inside seemed to phase into the shadow itself until there was nothing left but a twisting black cloud. The cloud dispersed with a whisper like the wind, disappearing through the windows and the open doorway at the back of the hall. I could have sworn I felt a wisp of it brush against me and Ruby as it passed.

Ruby must have seen my confusion about this ritual, because she spoke up in a soft murmur.

"It's a dragon custom," she told me. "Her body was returned to its element. Now she's a part of the world forever."

I blinked at her in surprise before turning my gaze back to the now empty space on the platform. It was...a beautiful sentiment, actually, and one that I found oddly comforting. Like she wasn't actually gone, in a way.

The crowd gradually dispersed after that, many of them stopping to offer their final condolences to me and Ruby. At length the hall was empty except for me, Ruby, and the Guardians. I just sat there, feeling utterly drained and exhausted. I was only broken out of my minor stupor when Novus tapped me on the shoulder. He was accompanied by Flora, Cyril and Volteer.

"Sorry to do this now," Novus said to me, "but we do still need to talk about what we do going forward."

I looked at him blankly. "Going forward?"

"Your care," Volteer elaborated. "Cynder was your primary caretaker. With her gone, someone else will be required to fill that duty and ensure that you are provided for."

"I was thinking, if you're alright with it, that we could have someone assigned from the infirmary as a live-in caregiver," Novus suggested.

I glanced between them, feeling unsure about this whole situation, especially now. I opened my mouth to say something, but Ruby beat me to it.

"I can do it," she said.

Myself and the four other dragons all looked down at her in surprise.

"Ruby..." I said slowly. "Are...Are you sure?"

"It's a big responsibility to be taking on yourself," Cyril said. "Especially since you just lost your mother. Do you really need that extra pressure?"

Ruby nodded her head firmly. "I can do it. It's what Mom would have wanted."

The other four dragons all exchanged looks with each other, and I could tell from their expressions that they were hesitant about this decision. I was too, if I was honest. I didn't want to put the burden of my care on my daughter, especially when she was still grieving. Something else I could tell from looking at her expression, though, was that she was firm on this choice. That look in her eyes was a painfully familiar one. No one was going to sway her.

The Guardians and former Guardians seemed to realize the same thing. I heard a couple of them give relenting sighs.

"Alright then," Novus said. "If you're sure, then we'll support your decision. Just know that if you need help with anything—and I mean anything at all—the Citadel doors are always open to both of you. Come to us at any time."

"Thank you," I said with a grateful bow of my head. "That really means a lot."

"Anything for friends," Novus stated with a firm tone.

I nodded again, managing a weak smile. At that moment Flora stepped forward and caught me by surprise when she pulled me into a tight hug with her wings. I was stunned for a brief moment, but after that I let out a long sigh and returned the embrace.

"I'm so, so sorry," she said quietly.

All I could do was nod. Flora gave me one final squeeze with her wings before pulling away, looking like she was holding back a fresh round of tears. She turned to Ruby next, wrapping my daughter in a similar hug. After the two dragonesses parted Cyril and Volteer gave their final condolences and left. Ruby and I were left alone with Novus and Flora in the empty hall, unmoving as we both processed the day's events. It was a few minutes later that Novus finally spoke up again.

"Come on," he said gently, beckoning with an open wing. "Let's get you guys home."

Ruby and I nodded silently. Ruby stepped up to my side, leaning against me as I lowered my wing over her, and Novus and Flora took up their own supporting positions by our sides. In that fashion we set off into the street, father and daughter together, a reduced family of two...

* * *

 **This isn't how things were supposed to be. I don't have my memories, but I still know that much. Everyone lost so much during the war. Ignitus...Losing him was the hardest day of my life before today. When Cynder and I beat Malefor, his loss was supposed to be the last one. That was supposed to be the end of it. Peace for everyone. No more pain. No more loss.**

 **So why am I still losing the people I love now?**

-~.~-*-~.~-

My shout of panic broke the morning quiet as I jumped upright in the dim light, gasping for breath and wide eyes darting around in search of danger. There wasn't any, though. A dream...It was just a dream. A nightmare. The world wasn't splitting apart anymore. I wasn't fighting to pull all the pieces back together, feeling my life force bleeding away from the effort. Everything was quiet. It was over.

I sat there frozen for a long moment, my panic slowly fading, but in its place came confusion. Where was I? This was a bedroom, but it wasn't one I remembered seeing before. Was it mine? If it was then something felt incredibly... _off_ about it. This silence was so complete, like there was no one else around to break it...

That was when I realized what was wrong. I was alone, but last I remembered Cynder was right there with me while we fought against the end of the world...but this wasn't the world's core. I still didn't know how I'd gotten here—or why I was suddenly in the body of an adult dragon, for that matter—but I did know that wherever I was Cynder should have been with me.

But she wasn't.

I looked around quickly, a feeling of panic creeping up on me again. I wasn't sure why, but I was certain that Cynder's absence _wasn't_ right. My present situation only reinforced that. This bed was big enough for two, and it seemed impossible that I would be sharing it with anybody else. The black rose sitting on the end table on the other side of the bed practically screamed her name, and the portrait behind it—

I paused, performing a double take and staring at the picture sitting on the small wooden table. I leaned closer, eyes locked on the image of Cynder depicted on it. She was full grown, smiling, and just... _beautiful_. But she wasn't alone. I was beside her—at least, I assumed it was me. I barely recognized myself! Though, the face in the picture did match the adult body I saw when I looked down again, plus the purple scales. Those were a bit of a giveaway. And then, sitting between us...

I was frozen once again, staring at the young dragoness that sat smiling just like Cynder. Was she...my daughter? I had a child?

I straightened up, feeling dazed. My eyes eventually turned toward my own end table, and the book and glass on top of it. I studied the strange liquid in the glass for a moment before obeying the note beside it and drinking it all. After that I opened the book and read the first few lines. They pretty much confirmed what the portrait and the bedroom told me. Amnesia made sense and it at least helped explain how I'd ended up in this place, and Cynder being my mate was clear from the family portrait. The journal did give me the name of my daughter at least: Ruby.

I stopped reading there, and the feeling of confusion I felt before returned as I looked around. If Cynder was my mate, why wasn't she here? Why was her side of the bed so cold?

I finally rose from the bed and walked to the hall, feeling a little lost—well, a lot lost, actually. I eventually picked up the sound of activity from the back of the main level and followed it, entering what appeared to be the kitchen.

Ruby was inside, moving quickly back and forth and rooting through cupboards and drawers. I paused at the sight of her, a small feeling of shock striking me. One: this was my daughter, in the flesh, right in front of me. I had _no_ idea how to react to that! Two: she was older than she had looked in that portrait. Maybe...early or mid teens, if I had to pick a number. She looked the same age Cynder and I had been during our later adventures, actually.

She had a bag hanging from her neck, and I watched with a feeling of bewilderment as she placed a wrapped bundle of dried meat inside. After that she disappeared through a doorway, only to reappear with a pawful of spirit gem shards that she also placed in the bag. She paused by the table to pick up a fabric pouch that clinked metallically when she lifted it, likely coins of some sort. It seemed like she was packing for something, but what could that be?

"Ruby?"

She didn't answer me. She just continued working with a dull, hard look on her face. Something was clearly bothering her, but I couldn't for the life of me tell what it was.

"You going on a trip?" I tried again, my eyes returning to the bag.

Once again, no reply. She did glance at me this time, but she said nothing. I was starting to wonder if she was angry at me for something, but I obviously had no clue what it could be. I tried one more time.

"Where's your mother?"

She ground to an immediate halt, her claws digging into the stone floor as her whole body tensed. I could see her jaw clenching, her eye flashing with a mix of emotions that I couldn't even begin to describe. She sighed, turning her gaze upward for a moment, and she let out a humourless laugh that I did not like the sound of.

"And there it is," she muttered, bitterness plain in her voice.

I recoiled a step, shocked and alarmed by this reaction. It seemed like a pretty safe bet at this point that her cold attitude _was_ my fault, but unless she elaborated I was completely helpless. What could I have done to upset her like this? What did it have to do with Cynder? Maybe I didn't actually want to know the answer...

I couldn't keep silent. I had to know.

"Ruby?"

"She's _dead_ , Dad. Okay? _That's_ where she is!"

I jerked back another step, my whole body turning weak. My mouth fell open, and I felt my eyes go wide as horror filled me.

Dead? No, that couldn't be true. Cynder couldn't be...It was impossible! Please tell me it was impossible! Ancestors, I couldn't breathe...

"She's been dead for over a month," Ruby continued, her voice hard. "A _month_ , and I should have been healing by now. This should be enough time for me to at least _start_ to put the pain behind me and start moving on, but I _can't_. You know why?"

She was glaring at me, but I couldn't form words at that moment. I couldn't even think. This was too much for me to grasp. Cynder, dead? That didn't make any sense!

"Because of you, Dad," she said, and through my shock I barely registered the faint hitch in her voice. I just noticed then that she was holding back tears behind her anger. "Because every morning you come down here and rip the wound open all over again. 'Where is your mother?' 'Where did Cynder go?' 'When is she coming back?' And on the days that you actually read all the way through what you wrote in your journal so that you actually know she's dead, you act so depressed and withdrawn it's like you're not even there! I can't deal with it anymore! I just can't keep doing this! I will _never_ heal this way, Dad!"

I fumbled for an answer, but no words came out. A crushing mix of sorrow and guilt was practically smothering me, more powerful than even my shock. This couldn't be happening. Why couldn't this just be a bad dream?

I couldn't escape this, though, and I knew it. Ruby's words struck me deeply, too, driving my shame home. I wasn't the only one that had lost a loved one. Ruby had lost her mother, and instead of helping her through her grief I was only making it worse. The swell of guilt that this realization brought was almost sickening.

"Ruby...I-I..."

She held up a forepaw, silencing me, and for almost a minute after that not a single word was spoken. Ruby had her eyes closed tightly, her breathing shaky. I could see that she was struggling _so_ much to keep her composure, and all things considered she was actually doing a remarkable job. That strength, and determination...it was so much like Cynder's. Oh, Ancestors, this was too much.

"I'm sorry," Ruby suddenly whispered, snapping my attention back to her. "I know you don't mean to. You're just confused, and I know it hurts. I'm sorry for yelling. I just..."

She lifted her eyes to meet mine, and my heart broke all over again when I saw the torment inside them. I wanted to move over to her and hold her in my wings and tell her it was going to be okay, but something about her gaze held me in place. They would have been empty words anyway, and I could see that she was perfectly aware of that.

"I can't do this anymore," she gasped. Ancestors, it killed me inside to watch her struggling like this! "I just can't. I thought I could be strong enough, but...I just don't know how. I don't know how Mom managed to pull through situations like this, and I..."

She turned away again, closing her eyes. I saw a wet trail forming from the corner of her eye, and I couldn't bear it. My chest felt like the weight of the world itself was crushing it. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. My daughter needed me, but I was helpless.

"I have to go."

 _That_ snapped me out of my stupor like a punch to the face.

"What?"

She cringed, but she didn't open her eyes.

"I need some time," she forced out. "Some space so I can start putting this behind me, and that's something that I can't get here. Not the way things are going now. So...I'm leaving."

My heart felt like it had just become lodged in my throat, and I almost collapsed as my legs lost all their strength. Leaving? But...No! She couldn't! I couldn't lose my mate and my daughter at the same time!

"I'm so sorry, Dad," she croaked. More tears fell from her eyes. "I know this isn't what you want, but I have to do this."

"Ruby, please. Just...don't go! I...I can try harder! I—"

"No, Dad, I can't stay," Ruby cut me off, rising to her paws and backing away shakily. "It isn't forever, but for right now, I...I'm truly sorry that I couldn't keep my promise to take care of you. Go to the Guardians. They can help you better than I could."

"Ruby!"

"Goodbye, Dad. I love you."

"Wait!"

She didn't. She took off running at the same time that I jumped up to stop her, charging for the front door faster than I could ever hope to catch.

" _Ruby!_ "

I heard the door slam, and horrible silence fell over the entire house. I stood frozen there like a statue for longer than I could keep track of. It was like a gaping hole had just opened up where my heart was supposed to be, sucking all warmth out of me.

Cynder was dead, and my daughter had left me.

I sank back down onto my haunches, and after that my breathing hitched painfully. Tears stung my eyes, and I covered my face with a shaking forepaw as the truth of my situation began to dawn on me. The only sound in the house was my muffled crying.

I was alone.

* * *

 _Where am I...?_

 _I don't know this place. Have I ever been here before? I...I don't think so. This forest doesn't look familiar to me. How did I even get here, anyway?_

 _Okay, so I'm just walking around aimlessly right now. That's probably not the best plan, so...I need to stop. I need to figure out where I am, because I really have no clue._

 _Right, so...What now? How do I figure out where I am when I have absolutely no idea how I even ended up here in the first place? What can I remember...?_

 _I remember the battle at the centre of the earth._

 _I remember blacking out from trying to fix the planet, and then being here._

 _Was...was that it? That's it! Why can't I remember anything else?_

 _Where is Cynder? She was with me during the battle. If I got out of the core..._ somehow _, then she must have too, right? I mean...right? Please, oh please Ancestors, say she did. Please say nothing has happened to her..._

 _No! No, I have to stop thinking like that. I'm starting to panic here, and that's not going to help anything. Just breathe, Spyro. Breathe, and then you can start trying to find her. Don't freak out, even if you are completely alone with no memories and don't know where you are..._

 _What is this forest, anyway? None of this looks familiar to me._

 _Ow! My stomach! Holy Ancestors, I'm hungry! Why? How long has it been since I ate something?!_

 _I need to find some food. That's what I should do first, and while looking for that maybe I'll spot some sign of Cynder somewhere. So, for right now, are there any scents, or tracks, or...?_

 _Wait, a deer! There's one right there! It's...so small. Why does it look so...Why am I so big?! I was_ not _an adult dragon the last time I looked!_

 _What is HAPPENING?!_

 _I can't take this! I am so confused! Why can't I remember anything? Where am I? And where is Cynder?! She should be here, shouldn't she? Why am I alone?!_

 _...Hey, wait. Is that...the top of Warfang's wall? It...It looks like it is! I can see Warfang's wall from here! It's not that far away!_

 _...How did I get to Warfang? I was just in the core of the world...wasn't I?_

 _You know what? Forget it. I can just ask somebody how I got here once I get back to the city. The Guardians will be able to tell me what's going on._

 _Flying will be the fastest way back._

 _I should have enough room to take off through these trees—why am I in a forest, anyway? I don't know this place. Whatever. I just need to...Wow, my wings feel weak. And I am_ hungry _! When was the last time I ate?_

 _I really need food...Hey, those are tracks. Deer tracks. And they're fresh! There must have been one here recently! Thank the Ancestors! Okay, they lead deeper into the woods. They look pretty thick. I'd better hurry and follow that trail before I lose it..._

 _Why is it getting so dark? Are those storm clouds? Oh, damn, they are. I don't know where those came from, but I do know I can't stay out in the open during a storm. I need to find shelter. Is there a cave somewhere in these woods?_

 _...Woods? Where_ am _I?_

 _Later, Spyro. Worry about that later. The rain is starting. Find shelter. Shelter...Why don't I just make some? I have earth powers for a reason...which aren't working. Really? Right now?! Damn it! WHY?!_

 _I'm so cold. This rain is freezing! Why am I out in the middle of the woods in a rain storm anyway? I have to find somewhere dry or I'm actually going to freeze! Come on, please. There has to be something!_

 _Wait a second. Where's Cynder!? She's not caught out in this storm too, is she? What even happened to her after the battle?!_

 _Oh, wait. That's a cave there! Some good news, at least. It looks empty, and dry enough. We can wait out the rain in there, but where is Cynder? I can't just stop looking for her!_

 _But I'm so,_ so _cold, and tired, and hungry...I won't last long out here like this. How did I even end up in this situation, anyway? Where am I? I can't remember..._

 _Why am I alone? Cynder, where are you? I really,_ really _could use your help right now._

 _I hope something didn't happen to her. What if...what if she didn't make it out of the core of the world?_

 _I have to find her. Maybe this wa—Agh! Stupid tree root! Why are my legs so weak?_

 _I have to stop and rest. I feel so exhausted, I could just collapse! Oh, a cave. Well, maybe I can lie down here for a few minutes, and then maybe this rain will pass..._

 _..._

 _Huh? Did I just hear something?_

 _Wait...What is this place? Why am I sleeping in a cave? This isn't the core where I blacked out._

 _Wow. It's pretty cold out here. Misty, too. Almost feels like it's been raining. But...What is this forest? How did I get here?_

 _Maybe...Maybe Cynder carried me here? But...where is she? It doesn't smell like she was here, and there are no tracks..._

 _Why can't I remember anything?_

 _What was that sound? It sounded like...someone calling my name? Wait! Cynder!?_

 _No, hold on. That isn't her voice. It is female, but not her...But who would be looking for me in the woods?_

 _Seriously, why am I in the woods?_

 _And why am I so HUNGRY?!_

 _That voice is getting closer. Almost like they're right outside...There! I see somebody! It's an earth dragoness, and I think she spotted me. She's coming this way, and...calling for someone else? Saying she found me? Who is she? Why was she looking for me? She looks so distressed, but also relieved._

 _She's talking to me now. Flora? Nice name, but I definitely don't know it, and...She's talking so fast. I can't keep up. Why do I feel so tired, and kind of dizzy now too, come to think of it?_

 _Oh, there's another dragon now. Yellow. Volteer? I'm not sure. He's kind of blurry, though. Is it normal for a dragon to be blurry?_

 _Far...Fara...something? I can't hear his name. They're talking so quiet..._

 _Ancestors, I'm so exhausted. I just can't stay awake anymore. Maybe if I just close my eyes for a second..._

* * *

 **I guess I might as well write something in here, since it looks like I haven't for a while. Can't remember why, obviously, and I don't really have anything to put in here right now so this might be a little pointless, but...**

 **Well, one thing I do know: This wasn't what I was expecting for my life after defeating Malefor. I remember having so many plans, things I wanted to learn and see. Exploring the realms. Settling down for a peaceful life without any more fighting. Everything besides sitting in a plain room with nothing to do and no one to be with.**

 **But, who knows. Maybe I** _ **was**_ **out doing those things earlier and I just don't remember them. Maybe I'll be doing them again soon. As it is now, though...I just have no idea...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

I didn't know how long I had been in this place, but right now what I did know was that this silence was really starting to get to me.

I was lying down on a decently soft white bed that was basically a thick fabric mattress on the ground, surrounded by whitewashed stone walls and a couple of pieces of wooden furniture. It felt very plain, and _too_ clean. I didn't know what this place was, but I was pretty sure it wasn't where I was supposed to live.

Not that I had any idea where I _was_ supposed to live...

The only thing I could remember was lying in this room. My memory didn't seem to go back very far, but in that time at least there had been no one else that had come in here and nothing had happened either. It was just quiet. I had heard a couple of faint, indistinct noises through the door a few minutes ago that gave me the impression that I was in some sort of larger building, but beyond that I was clueless.

I had a very, very strong urge to just get up and leave. The only thing keeping me in that room was the small collection of items on the end table beside me. There was a black crystal rose, a portrait, and a small mushroom cap, the one from my home in the swamp.

The rose was pretty but I didn't really know its significance beyond that, except that the colours made me think of Cynder. The portrait was more confusing that anything. On it I saw an adult version of me—which looked about the same as my body when I looked down—an adult Cynder, and a small red Cynder sitting in between us with a couple of minor differences and features that looked like they came from me. The conclusion was obvious: This was supposed to be my family. My child. But that conclusion only created so many questions in my head, I felt dizzy and confused. What was my daughter's name? Where were they? When had I had a _kid_?

The only thing that I could attach real meaning to was the mushroom cap. It was the only thing here that was familiar, and the only comfort I had that prevented me from feeling completely lost and panicked. If it was here, I felt like I was supposed to be here too.

But where _was_ here? The uncertainty of all of this was _really_ starting to eat at me...

I couldn't stand it anymore. I looked around as if checking for anyone watching me, but felt ridiculous for it right afterward because I was obviously alone. After that I got up from the bed and moved to the door, raising my paw up to open it.

To my surprise, the door handle rotated just before I could grab it. I stepped back quickly as the door swung open, and I immediately found myself face to face with a red-scaled dragoness who was only just starting to show signs of age from what I could see. Her scales were starting to lose a bit of their lustre in some places, but aside from that she still looked fit and healthy. Standing with her was a larger blue dragon who held himself with an air of authority.

"Oh," the dragoness said, blinking in surprise when she saw me standing there. "Spyro. Up and about, I see? Is everything alright?"

"Um..." I fumbled in reply, looking from her to the room and back again in confusion. "I'm not sure. Where am I? And who are you?"

The dragoness's expression took on a look of concern and remorse, which caused me to tilt my head in confusion. She glanced toward the blue dragon quickly.

"Oh, dear. It looks like I was gone for a bit too long. I'm sorry, Spyro. I was held up with another patient, and then I ran into Glacius in the halls. I didn't mean to leave you on your own for this long."

I couldn't find an answer to give her. I just continued staring in blank puzzlement.

"To answer your questions, you're in the central infirmary in Warfang and I'm your primary physician and caregiver. My name is Scarlett."

"Oh," I said hesitantly. "Uh, okay...Nice to meet you?"

She chuckled quietly and gave me a kind smile. "You too. Actually, we first met when you were still just barely more than a child, so there's no need to feel anxious. I'm a friend, and I've been working on your care for many years."

This also came as a surprise to me, but something about the gentle tone of her voice helped soothe me a bit. Though I still had many questions, I felt some of the tension leaving my body.

I turned my eyes toward the other dragon, whom Scarlett had called Glacius. He also gave me a kind smile.

"As she said, I'm Glacius. I'm Cyril's successor as Ice Guardian, and I've also been your friend for many years. I actually came here to visit you and check on how you were doing."

"Really?"

He nodded, still smiling.

"Well...Thanks. I appreciate that..."

I spent a moment looking back and forth between the two of them. I was _very_ confused by all of this new information, but one question in particular rose to the forefront of my mind.

"You mentioned my 'care'," I said to Scarlett. "What care is that, exactly? Am I sick or something? I feel fine..."

"Oh no, you're in perfectly good health," Scarlett answered quickly, raising a paw in a reassuring gesture. "However, I'm sorry to say that you are suffering from anterograde amnesia and unfortunately that's led you to this position."

"Amnesia?" I repeated.

"I'm afraid so. You are on medicine that helps with the symptoms of your condition, and actually not long ago you had a full day of continuous memory thanks to it, but a few months ago there was an...accident."

Accident? Now I was feeling worried instead of just confused. I had been looking around the room again as Scarlett spoke, but I quickly met her eyes again as concern grew inside of me. She and Glacius were watching me with guarded expressions.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Due to a...personal problem, you ended up missing several doses of your medicine without us knowing," Scarlett explained, and I could see clear guilt in her bearing. "One day when I went to your house to check on you, you weren't there."

"You were missing for a couple of days after that," Glacius continued. "We got reports from people saying they saw you around the city, but we were never able to catch up with you. When our search parties found you, you were lost in the woods outside of Warfang with hardly any functioning memory at all, half starved. We think you must have left the city to try and hunt for food, but with your memory the way it was you couldn't focus long enough to track anything."

"You've been here since then while we try to restore your condition," Scarlett took over. "We've only just gotten you back up to a half hour, actually."

"Whoa," I muttered slowly. I felt dazed from this rush of information, but also a bit alarmed. I went missing? Lost in the woods? "That...That sounds like quite a bit of excitement. I'm sorry if I worried anyone."

"Oh no, Spyro," Scarlett protested. "No, you don't need to be sorry. None of this is your fault. We're the ones who are sorry. It was our failure that led to you being in this situation, but I promise I will be doing everything in my power to make sure you're back home with the proper care you need as soon as possible."

I held her gaze for a moment longer, still feeling a bit conflicted and confused, but eventually I get a small smile.

"Thanks."

Scarlett and Glacius also smiled, looking relieved.

"Well, on to present matters," she declared. "On the subject of your care, it's nearing time for your next dose of medicine, which I have right here."

She lifted one of her wings, which I just noticed now was carrying a glass pitcher suspended from her wing claw with a curved handle. It was filled with a liquid that had a deep red colour. I looked at it curiously as she stepped past me and set the pitcher down on top of a desk.

"That's for my memory?" I asked.

"It is indeed," she nodded. "Unfortunately the process of restoring your memory capacity has been slower than we had hoped it would be, but on the bright side it's still going much, much faster than the first time around. We should have you at a proper functioning level before too much longer."

I frowned, not sure how I felt about essentially being called non-functional, but then again given the circumstances I couldn't really disagree.

"How much longer?"

"It's hard to say. If we keep up the progress we've been making recently, we might be able to reach an hour of memory in the next month or two. I would feel comfortable sending you home with a qualified caregiver at that point."

I cocked my head again, frowning. "Caregiver?"

Glacius nodded, stepping further into the room and sitting where I could more easily see him. "You'll need someone to watch over you to make sure you don't miss taking your medicine again, and to help you with day to day things."

That did make sense, especially given the story they had just told me, but something still wasn't adding up. My eyes turned toward the small table beside the bed again, where they fell on the picture of my family.

"What about Cynder?"

There was no immediate answer. When I turned back around I saw Scarlett and Glacius exchanging a guarded look.

"We're sorry, but she can't," Glacius told me. "She...isn't here right now."

It was easy to see that there was more that I wasn't being told. I looked back at the picture, picking it up with a forepaw as worry grew in my gut.

"Well...What about her? Who is she?"

I held the portrait up and pointed with a claw at the younger dragoness. Scarlett smiled softly.

"That's Ruby, your daughter."

"My daughter?" I repeated. That did match my assumption, but it was still a bit of a shock to hear it confirmed.

"Yes. She's a very strong young dragoness, just like her mother."

A faint hint of a smile grew at the corner of my mouth at that. Ruby. I wondered what she was like? My worry hadn't faded, though. Instead, it was only growing stronger as my confusion continued to worsen.

"Where is she?" I asked. "Can I see her?"

Scarlett's and Glacius's expressions tightened again.

"I'm afraid she's not here right now either," Glacius said apologetically.

"Not here?" I repeated. "Then where? Where did they go?"

"Please, Spyro, stay calm," Scarlett spoke up, stepping forward and raising her paws in a reassuring manner. "I promise that everything is alright. They can't be here right now, but we'll try and arrange for them to come visit soon, okay?"

I hesitated. I still felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture and something about Scalrett's and Glacius's body langue didn't quite sit right with me but I couldn't put my claw on exactly what. They did seem like they genuinely wanted to reassure me, though...

"Okay," I relented after a long pause. "I guess that's alright. I just...I really want to see them."

"We know," Glacius said with a gentle smile and a nod. "We promise that you'll see them soon. But for right now, why don't we keep you company?"

"Well...yeah, that would be nice," I nodded. I looked toward Scarlett with a small frown. "Didn't you say you had other patients, though? If you don't have time to stay, I understand."

"It's not a problem," she answered with a smile. "You're my main patient, and I've made sure to set aside enough time to spend with you. I actually had amnesia myself in the past, so I know this is very confusing for you and I wanted to make sure I could be here to help."

This was a piece of news I wasn't expecting, and my eyes widened slightly. "Really? You had amnesia too?"

"I did. Would you like to hear about it?"

"I..." I hesitated. Her demeanour was calm and I _was_ curious, but I didn't want to bring up a potentially sensitive topic for her. "Well, yeah, I would, but only if you're okay with it."

"Of course," Scarlett smiled warmly, and that smile helped settle my worries. I felt a smile of my own growing on my lips.

"Okay. So, what happened?"

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll tell you all about it."

I nodded, turning back to my bed and laying down on top of it. At the same time Scarlett and Glacius pulled a pair of cushions forward from a corner of the room and proceeded to settle down on top of them as well, Glacius folding one foreleg over the other to listen at quite attention while Scarlett got comfortable to share her story. I waited in silent anticipation, engrossed in this feeling of intrigue and the warm sense of comradery that was filling the room.

"You see, it all happened when the war with the apes was only just starting to heat up..."

* * *

 **Today I was wondering what normal dragons would call a happy life. Not sure why I was thinking it, really. It's just a thought that kind of popped into my head. Would that life be much different from the one I have right now, I wonder?**

 **I mean, I guess I could say that I'm content at least. I have a nice home—actually, really nice. More like a mansion—I have all of my needs provided for, and I have my health, mostly. I guess the only real complaint I have besides my missing memories is that I'm lonely. Claire is good company, but I do wish my family was here too.**

 **Maybe I just have to be patient. Cynder might be gone, but Ruby is still out there somewhere, and I have faith that she won't stay gone forever. Claire says I just have to stay hopeful. I'll get the chance to know my daughter one day or other. When that happens, maybe I'll be able to call my life a happy one too...**

-~.~-*-~.~-

A stiff breeze rustled the leaves of the trees around me, and the pages of the book I was reading fluttered. I quickly pressed my forepaws down on the sides before I could lose my place. I had started the book in the morning and had almost reached the end. Since I would lose all of my progress when I went to sleep that night I _really_ didn't want to lose time trying to find where I was again.

The breeze calmed a moment later, and I relaxed with it. The back yard garden was a pleasant place to lie down for some leisure time, but it did come with its own challenges. Still, I was enjoying the quiet. It was a very welcome change of pace from the fighting in my memories.

I looked up when I heard small shuffling footsteps nearby, and just then a female mole stepped into view around one of the flower beds.

"Is there anything I can get for you, Master Spyro?" she asked politely. "I was wondering if you would like some refreshments, since you've been out here for a while?"

I smiled and shook my head. "I'm okay. Thanks, Claire."

The mole bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Alright. Just to let you know, I'll be starting preparations for supper soon. I'll come call you when it's ready if you aren't inside by then."

"Oh, okay. Do you want any help?"

Claire smiled. "If you would like then I certainly wouldn't mind it, but it's not necessary."

I nodded. "Alright. I might be in to lend you a paw in a few minutes, then."

Claire responded with another kind smile and bow of her head before disappearing down the small pathway she had approached from.

I spent a moment looking in the direction she'd gone before turning back to my book. Claire had caught me by surprise when I'd first seen her that morning. Without any memories I hadn't really known what to expect in this unfamiliar house, but a mole certainly wasn't it. I'd recovered quickly enough, though, and she'd introduced herself as the caretaker for both the house and myself. I still felt a tiny bit unsure about the whole thing—I wasn't totally comfortable with the idea of someone serving me—but it did make sense. It seemed pretty unlikely that I could function on my own in my condition, right? Plus, it was nice having her around. She was friendly and good natured, and I figured that without someone to talk to I might go out of my mind from boredom.

I turned my attention back to my book, deciding to finish a couple more pages before going inside to help Claire. However, it seemed like hardly any time had passed when she appeared again. I looked up curiously when she called.

"Is it supper time already?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "Not quite yet. Actually you have a visitor, Master Spyro. Doctor Scarlett is here to see you."

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "Doctor Scarlett?"

Claire nodded. "She's waiting for you in the foyer."

With that she turned around and headed inside once more. I lay there for a moment longer, wondering who this 'Doctor Scarlett' could be and why she wanted to see me, but I realized I wasn't going to find out unless I complied. I marked my place in the book and rose, entering the house through the dining room door and placing the book on a small corner table before continuing into the front hall.

I found who I assumed to be Scarlett waiting for me patiently. She smiled warmly when she saw me approaching.

"Hello, Spyro," she greeted me, her voice carrying an air of familiarity about it. She knew me, even if I didn't know her.

"Hello," I answered, my voice slightly uncertain. "Doctor Scarlett, right?"

She nodded. "That's right. I'm in charge of your amnesia treatment."

I straightened up slightly at this news. "Oh, really? Well, okay. Uh...What can I do for you?"

"First, I have more of your medicine ready to go," she told me, reaching into a satchel that hung against her shoulder and withdrawing a sealed container filled with the same liquid I recognized from that morning. "Have you been keeping up on your doses?"

"Uh, I think so," I nodded slowly. "Claire made sure I had it this morning, anyway."

Scarlett smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear that. In that case our regular checkup is all that we have left to cover today."

"Checkup?"

She nodded. "It's just a regular check we do every few days to make sure your condition is stable. It's mainly just some questions. Shouldn't take very long, and then I can be out of your scales."

"Oh," I said. It did sound simple enough. "Well, alright then. Are we doing it here?"

"Just in the living room should be fine."

I nodded. "Okay. After you."

I gestured with my wing toward the adjacent room, and Scarlett entered with a grateful smile and bob of her head. I followed her inside and moved to take a seat on one of the lounge cushions after she had found a spot of her own. Just as I was sitting, though, her head jerked upward.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I ran into a courier just outside who had a delivery for you. Why don't I give that to you before we start with the checkup? It's from your daughter."

I faltered, looking at Scarlett in surprise. She reached into her bag again and pulled out a letter that was tied shut with a strand of red ribbon. I could only stare at it for a moment, my mind racing. I had read the fact that I had a daughter in my journal that morning, but beyond that and the portraits I'd seen I didn't really know anything about her. Maybe this was a chance to get some of the answers I had been craving.

I took the letter and delicately sliced through the ribbon with my claw. Scarlett was watching me in silence, and I was aware that Claire was also hovering in the kitchen doorway behind me, no doubt having overheard our conversation. I pushed them from my thoughts, though, focusing only on the letter as I carefully unfolded it and began reading.

 _'Dad,_

 _I'm writing this letter to check in with you, since it's been a little while since the last time I wrote. First, I just want you to know that I'm doing fine. I recently found a dragon village on the edge of the Silver Grove—not the Ancient Grove where you went; this is the untainted part outside of it—and I've been staying here since then. It's a nice change of pace to slow down and stay in one place for a while after spending so long travelling around._

 _I know it's already been two months since the last time I was home to visit you, and I'm sorry for that. I'm also sorry to say that I think it might be some time before I'm back to visit again, because I think I'm going to be staying here for a while. It's such a beautiful place, and so calm, not busy like Warfang is all the time, and while I do miss city life it's nice to try something new._

 _Plus, I met someone. His name is Cliff. He's an earth dragon who's really nice and has been showing me around the village, and we've really hit it off. I know that it's a bit soon to judge, but there's just this...connection with him. I want to give it some time and see if it leads anywhere. Ever since I left home I've been thinking a lot about the bond you and Mom had. I want that with someone too, and I think it's worth giving this a chance._

 _And before you worry—because I know you will—no, I'm not rushing this. Nothing's for sure, and I'm just letting things to their own pace. I'm sure you know the feeling when you just 'click' with someone anyway._

 _I'm sorry again that I'm not there to tell you these things in person. I hope you're doing well at home, and I hope that Claire's taking good care of you and that you're happy. I don't know how long I'm going to end up staying here, but I promise that I will come home and visit you again when I have the chance. Who knows? If things go well I might even bring Cliff to meet you too. I think you would really like him. Either way, I'll be looking forward to the next time I see you._

 _I love you, Dad, and I miss you._

 _Ruby'_

I stared at the letter in silence for a long moment, processing everything I had read. There was a lot to take in, but what stood out the most was that my daughter seemed happy. A smile started to form on my face at that thought. I'd definitely picked up a tone of excitement in her writing, of possibility. She was out exploring the world, meeting new people and making new friends. It sounded like a wonderful adventure.

But who was this 'Cliff'?

I felt somewhat silly for it, but I couldn't get that question out of my head. This _was_ my daughter here. Who was this dragon? What was he like? Was he respectful? If he was trying to start a relationship with my daughter, was he treating her right? Was he even good enough for her? I didn't know anything about this guy! He could be a total creep for all I knew!

No, no, calm down. I was being ridiculous here. I took a slow breath, trying to shake those thoughts from my head. Trusting Ruby was my only option. Besides, if she took after her mother at all then she could look after herself. She did say that she was taking things slowly, anyway.

Ancestors, I wished I could be there...

I read over the last couple of lines again, and a small smile returned as warmth spread in my chest. It was a comfort to know that my daughter was safe and enjoying herself, especially after spending all day not knowing where she was or what she was doing. True, this comfort was slightly marred by the ache in my heart caused by her absence—I was lonely here, after all, especially with my mate gone as well. Ancestors, _that_ had been a blow to read, but Claire had done a good job picking my spirits up. At any rate, I took pride in the fact that Ruby was out living her life on her own terms.

Her letter said she would come back, anyway. I would get my chance to meet her. For now, that would just have to be enough.

"Oh, that's sweet," Claire spoke up from beside me, and I jumped slightly. She was standing by my side and looking down at the letter that was still in my paw. "It's thoughtful of her to keep checking in with you so often. Would you like me to place this with the others, Master Spyro?"

I looked at her curiously for a second before nodding. "Others? I mean, uh, yeah, sure."

She smiled and took the letter from me, folding it carefully and stepping over to a cabinet against the side wall of the living room. Once there she slipped the letter neatly into one of the shelves, which I just noticed now was packed full of similar folded sheets of parchment. A piece of red ribbon hung from the front of the shelf, just like the one that had been securing the newest letter. I couldn't even guess how many notes there were in there!

The warm feeling in my chest grew stronger. Ruby had written _all_ of those for me? Maybe I should read some of them over later that night.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, causing me to jump again. It was Scarlett. Oh, right! The checkup. I had completely forgotten.

"Why don't we get these questions out of the way?" she asked, smiling. "As much as I would like to stick around and visit more, I unfortunately have other patients at the infirmary that I need to return to tonight."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, my cheeks flushing slightly from embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Of course. I didn't mean to keep you."

She held up a paw reassuringly. "It's fine, Spyro. I don't mind. Now, shall we?"

I nodded.

"Great. Then let's begin."

She pulled a pad of parchment out of her bag and some ink, dipping a claw into it and preparing to write. I tried to focus on her questions, but it was a difficult task. My eyes drifted to the shelf full of letters again, and a faint sense of longing grew in my heart. Receiving Ruby's note had been a joyful surprise, but now I just wanted to see her that much more. I wanted to know my daughter. I wanted to see her and speak to her, rather than trying to imagine her from a brief note. The sad part was that I knew I wouldn't be able to before I lost my memories from the day, but...maybe soon.

Once again, the faint smile grew on my lips. Ruby, wherever you were, I hoped you were safe and enjoying yourself as you explored. I would be thinking of you until I got the chance to see you again.

That was a promise that I knew even my amnesia couldn't make me break.

* * *

 **This is such a weird feeling for me. I had gotten so used to fighting in the war, I almost forgot what peace felt like. Yet, here I am.**

 **Ancestors, where did all the years go? It's impossible to describe how weird it is to wake up and see yourself in a mirror only to see an old dragon instead of the teenager you expect. So much has happened, I spent all day just trying to catch up.**

 **And the kids. Dear Ancestors, the kids. I wasn't prepared at all for** _ **that**_ **revelation, but at the same time I was so,** _ **so**_ **thrilled to meet them. I can't wait to meet them again tomorrow.**

-~.~-*-~.~-

 _The village was such a calm, tranquil setting. I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace filter through my entire being when I looked around at the simple wooden buildings that were surrounded by gently swaying trees. Moles were strolling casually between the houses and other structures, all moving at a leisurely pace. I didn't know what this place was, but I was definitely enjoying the laid back atmosphere of it. It was such a stark contrast to the war. In a way it kind of reminded me of my home in the swamp._

 _"Hey, Spyro. What's the holdup?"_

 _I turned my head at the call and smiled when I saw Cynder standing farther down the dirt roadway, looking back at me with a wry smirk._

 _"Come on!" she urged me, beckoning with her wing. "There's still so much of this place that I want to show you!"_

 _I cocked my head to the side in confusion, though I was still smiling. "What do you mean? Where are we?"_

 _Cynder just laughed, as though I had told a joke. I only felt more confused because of this, but I couldn't find it in myself to be irritated. Cynder seemed to...bright. This place must have had an effect on her, because I couldn't remember ever seeing her this cheerful and carefree._

 _"Oh, ha ha, funny," she chuckled. "I know you've been out of it for a while in that infirmary bed, but try and keep up with me here. I did promise you that I was going to show you around the village when you were allowed to leave, didn't I? Well, we have a limited time to do it before you need to go back. Now come on! I promise, you'll love this place. I could probably spend forever here if I'm honest."_

 _I looked at her in surprise, but then my smile returned. "Well, alright then. Lead on."_

 _She grinned at me and turned about, heading farther down the street and disappearing around a bend ahead. I padded after her, trying to push the nagging feeling out of my mind. We should be in Warfang, shouldn't we? With the war seemingly over, that was where it made the most sense for us to be going. People would doubtlessly be wondering about us..._

 _Ah, forget it. We were young, and we were finally free of all the conflict that had plagued us. The rest of the world could wait. For now, I just wanted to savour this mo—_

I was jolted awake by something poking my snout, and I opened my eyes with a startled snort. It took a second for my vision to clear from the fogginess of sleep, but when it did I found myself looking into a pair of big brown eyes staring back at me. They belonged to a small ashy grey hatchling that was sitting in front of my face, his forepaws resting on top of my muzzle. He looked maybe a couple of years old at most, if I had to guess.

"Grandpa, why are you sleeping?" he asked me, tilting his head inquisitively. "It's the middle of the day."

He said it so completely matter-of-factly that I almost doubted the reason myself for a second. I didn't think I'd meant to fall asleep, had I? I couldn't remember planning on it, anyway...

Wait. Grandpa?

I didn't get a chance to answer the child's question, or to ask one of my own, because just then a female voice interrupted us.

"Coal, what are you doing?" a red-scaled adult dragoness said in a lightly scolding tone as she approached the two of us. She was instantly familiar to me, but for some reason it was taking a moment for her name to come to me. "You know I said it's not nice to disturb your grandfather when he's resting."

"But he was snoring, Mommy," the hatchling named Coal replied, as if it was such an obvious explanation. "Sleeping is for night time."

"That doesn't matter. You still shouldn't bother someone when they're trying to rest. Now, why don't you go play with your brother? Where is he?"

Coal just shrugged his tiny wings. "I dunno."

The dragoness grunted quietly before turning her head toward one of the doorways that led out to the hall.

"Cliff! You there?"

"What is it, hun?" a male voice responded quickly, and a second later a grey-green earth dragon appeared in the archway.

"Do you know where Ignitus is?"

I froze. Ignitus? They couldn't possibly mean...No, I got the distinct impression that they didn't. It was someone else, but I was having a hard time fitting the pieces together...

"He should be playing out back," Cliff answered.

"Okay. Can you take Coal out with him? Someone seems like they have a bit of energy to use up before they get into trouble."

She smirked down at the little hatchling as she said this, and Coal stuck his tongue out playfully at his mother. Cliff chuckled quietly as he stepped forward, scooped his son up with his forepaws and swung him up onto his back.

"Come on, you little monster. Let's go see if your brother wants to play a game. Come on!"

Cliff then disappeared back through the door at a measured jog, bouncing with each step and causing Coal to squeal delightedly. The dragoness whose name _still_ escaped me watched them go with a fond smile and a shake of her head before turning her eyes back on me.

"Sorry about that, Dad," she said sheepishly, and at the word 'Dad' it all _finally_ clicked in my head. Ruby! My daughter, from my journal! And Coal and Ignitus, my two grandsons! How could I forget that so easily?

Amnesia. Duh.

"I didn't know you were trying to sleep in here. I would have watched him more closely."

"Oh, no, that's alright," I hurried to reassure her. "It's no problem. I must have just dozed off by accident."

She just smiled, looking relieved. "Well, as long as you're sure. How are you doing? Medicine still working? I can get you a little bit more if you need it."

"No, I think it's fine. A little slow to recall things when I woke up, but I'm okay now."

"Nothing you need at all?"

I let out a quiet chuckle as I raised myself to a seated position—which took a bit more effort than I would expect it to, I noticed.

"No, I'm fine. Really. Thanks, Ruby, but you don't need to trouble yourself for me."

"So you always say," Ruby smirked. "But you know, it's not uncommon for elders' children to help look after them. You're allowed to do the same."

"Elder?" I snorted humorously. "I'm not that old."

I rose from the padded seat I was resting on and moved toward the doorway that would take me into the kitchen, but as I took a step I winced and staggered as I felt several joints pop in addition to a strange, dull ache deep in my chest were I would normally feel my elements come from. I paused, looking down at myself in confusion.

"Ancestors. Am I really that old?"

Ruby chuckled, moving up beside me and gently bracing me with her shoulder while I regained my balance.

"Not _that_ old," she said reassuringly. "It's just your old war wounds that act up from time to time. Usually you're fine."

I held her gaze for an uncertain moment before I felt my smile return. "Well, I suppose that's good to hear. As long as I can keep up with those kids of yours, that's good enough for me."

She smiled broadly at me in return. "Well then you have nothing to worry about. Should we go and join them outside? They'd be happy to have you play a game with them."

"That sounds like a good idea. Just give me a second."

I stepped away from Ruby's side, feeling more stable now. After that I spread my wings and stretched my back out, trying to work the stiffness out of it and my limbs. There were a couple more pops that made me wince again, but after that I felt much more limber and energized.

"Okay," I said. "After you."

Ruby nodded and did as I indicated, exiting the living room through the back doorway. I followed behind her, and as we passed through the kitchen I could already hear excited laughter coming from outside. I grinned to myself, wondering what my two grandsons were up to.

Grandsons. That still felt so surreal.

We spotted them not long after entering the garden, and I couldn't help the grin that split my muzzle or the chuckle that rolled from my throat. Coal was gripping at the trunk of a tree, trying to scramble up to the branches above him where his older red-scaled brother was already perched. Cliff was stalking around the tree as if he was a predator chasing prey, and both boys were giggling as they tried to escape. Ignitus was calling encouragements to his younger brother, urging him to hurry as Cliff edged closer.

"Come on, Coal! Faster! He's going to get you!"

Ruby was shaking her head and laughing again. I watched with similar amusement for a moment longer before leaning my head closer to her.

"Think he needs a little help?" I asked.

To my surprise, she shook her head. "No, I think he'll figure it out. Any minute now..."

I frowned at her in confusion before turning my attention back to the scene in front of us. Clearly she knew something I didn't—well, actually, there were certainly a _lot_ of things that she knew that I didn't. Coal made another jump at the trunk of the tree, his small claws scraping against the smooth bark as he slid helplessly back down and landed on the ground on his rump. Cliff was almost upon him, and Coal's eyes widened when he looked behind him to see his father right there, but then I saw those eyes narrow in determination.

I jerked back in surprise as a small pillar of earth rose up under the tiny dragon, pushing him slightly unsteadily up the trunk of the tree. As soon as he had reached a more shallowly inclined part of the trunk the pillar stopped and he jumped off, scrambling the rest of the way up to the branches without much more trouble. The earth pillar sank slowly back to the ground below, and Ignitus gave an encouraging cheer as his brother joined him.

"Ha ha!" Coal said cheekily. "Can't catch us now, Dad!"

"Oh yeah!" Cliff smirked. "Look out, because here I come!"

He reared up with his forepaws against the tree trunk and stuck his head in amongst the tree branches without any trouble. Coal and Ignitus squealed in surprise and began dashing across the tree limbs to escape his wrath, giggling the whole time. I watched them for a second longer in stunned silence before turning to look at Ruby.

"He can use his element already? Is that normal?"

She shook her head, a look of unmistakeable pride in her eyes. "No, it's not. Both him and Ignitus are far ahead of other hatchlings their age when it comes to their powers."

"Really?"

Ruby nodded and turned her head to face me with a large smile.

"Is that really a surprise? They're the grandsons of Spyro and Cynder, after all."

My mouth opened and closed as I tried to come up with a response, caught off guard by this statement, but slowly I felt my own feeling of pride building in my chest. A large smile much like Ruby's covered my face after that, and I turned to look back at the boys still evading their father.

Me and Cynder. I knew she would be so proud of them...

"Maybe you should go help them out now," Ruby suggested quietly.

I glanced at her in mild confusion, but when she nodded her head toward the tree I quickly understood. A small smirk crossed my muzzle as I padded toward the three other males, watching Coal and Ignitus carefully as they jumped from branch to branch, but their footing was secure. Even Coal looked like his balance was fine, despite the trouble he'd had gripping the trunk before. It seemed like there was no getting them down from there.

That is, of course, until they spotted me and immediately launched themselves out of the tree top straight toward me.

"Grandpa!" Ignitus cried, giggling away. "Catch us!"

I let out a yelp of surprise as the two young dragons landed on my back, their combined weight staggering me briefly. I recovered soon enough after that, though, and I suppressed another laugh.

"Run!" Coal shouted as Cliff dropped back to all fours and began advancing on me, a mischievous look in his eyes.

I jumped into action immediately.

"Don't worry, boys!" I exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm—I mean, why not play it up, right? "The purple dragon will protect you! Hang on tight!"

I launched myself away from Cliff and bounded along one of the walkways through the expansive backyard garden, not quite as quickly as I could remember being able to do before the war's conclusion but respectable enough. Cliff took up pursuit without delay, grinning.

"Get back here with my snack!" he called.

"Keep running, Grandpa!" Ignitus urged me. "He's getting closer!"

I did just that, looping through the gardens with Cliff right on my tail. I wound through the different cobbled pathways, at one point almost colliding with an elderly mole that was tending to a row of flowers. She let out an alarmed cry when she saw me barrelling toward her. I yelped as well before jumping over her, continuing on down the pathway.

"Sorry, Claire!" I called.

I didn't hear her reply. I was gone around another bend before I could, Cliff still pursuing me and my charges. After rounding another corner and entering a narrow row of hedges he briefly disappeared from sight. An idea sparked in my brain, and I grinned.

"Hang on!" I ordered.

I felt my grandsons' small claws tighten on the scales of my back, and after that I jumped as high into the air as I could. Not quite high enough, so I had to flap my wings awkwardly in the tight space to clear the hedges, but once I had I angled over the top of the row on my left and dropped down behind them, hunkering low to the ground.

"He won't find us in here," I whispered.

Ignitus and Coal both grinned back at me, but they quickly covered their mouths with their forepaws and tried to muffle their giggling when the sound of heavy pawsteps reached us from the pathway. They slowed down quickly, though. I held my breath.

There was silence for several moments, but then suddenly the earth underneath me raised up and the row of hedges parted. The hatchlings and I all cried out in surprise as we tumbled out into the pathway, the hedges returning to their normal positions behind us. An instant later my shoulders were pinned to the ground by two powerful paws.

"Got ya!" Cliff exclaimed triumphantly, smirking like a hatchling himself. "You aren't taking my meal away from me again!"

"Keep running, boys!" I shouted, having trouble keeping my laughter in check. "Go on without me!"

They complied without delay, giggling loudly as they turned tail and dashed along the pathway. Unfortunately, just as they reached the far end of the row of hedges Ruby suddenly appeared in their path and I faltered when I saw the conniving grin on her muzzle.

So much for a great escape.

Ignitus and Coal squealed again when Ruby scooped them both up in her forepaws in one smooth motion. She laughed victoriously.

"Gotcha! You're mine now!"

"No!" Coal cried between fits of giggling as Ruby descended on them, curling her tail and body around them to trap them as she began licking their sensitive underbellies and tickling them with her snout.

"Nice catch, hun!" Cliff praised her as he released me and trotted over to his mate and children. "You boys aren't going anywhere now!"

There were renewed shrieks and laughing protests as he joined the tangle of tiny thrashing limbs, tickling and wrestling with his sons along with Ruby. I rolled back to an upright position but didn't move to intervene, watching from a distance as a broad smile stretched across my face once more. The surreal feeling returned in force, but also the sense of incredible pride and happiness.

My mind drifted back to the fragments of the dream I'd had not long before, recalling Cynder's presence in it. I sighed wistfully, wishing that she could be here by my side to see this too. After all the doubts I knew she'd still carried at the end of the war...this would have absolutely blown her away. I just knew it.

I settled into a more comfortable position with my forelegs crossed and my tail curled around my side, watching the family of four playing together fondly. _Our_ family.

We did good, Cynder. Wherever you were now, I hoped you knew that. We did good.

My smile widened, and the feeling that filled me could only be described as peace. This was my legacy. When my time eventually came, this is what I would be leaving in the world: this picture of happiness and familial love. I knew it was something I could be proud of, even if my memories of how I had arrived at this point were absent. Maybe it didn't matter. Maybe the past wasn't as important, compared to what would be carried forward into the future. I let out a quiet sigh as this thought filled me.

It really was a beautiful sight.

* * *

 **(A/N): I'm sorry if there are more mistakes than usual in this chapter. There were a LOT of additions and changes I made while editing it today. At the time of first writing this chapter I was going through some personal issues and wasn't able to put the usual emotion or detail into my writing as I usually try to, especially given the subject matter, but hopefully I was able to pull it more up to par now.**

 **I do not apologize for the content of this chapter. ^^; People were saying that previous chapters were hitting them in the feels. Well, in this one I went right for the heart. XD Honestly, with the last thing Cynder said in the last chapter, you should have seen this coming. But hey, at least it wasn't ALL sad, right? I think the chapter ended on a relatively hopeful note, at least. I'm eager to hear what other people think.**

 **Also, there's a little bit of a reference in this chapter. Can anyone spot it? ^^**

 **We're right at the end now. The only thing we have left in this story is the epilogue. Thank you so much to everyone who's been reading so far, and I hope you'll all join me for the conclusion next week. :D**

 **Until next time...**


	6. Epilogue

Silence. Total, utter silence. That was the only thing I was aware of as I sluggishly rose to consciousness. Well, that and the smooth, comfortably cool floor underneath me that felt like it was made of marble or something similar.

I forced my eyes to open, my vision blurry to begin with but slowly regaining its focus. My eyelids felt heavy and my mind was hazy, like I was just waking up from an extremely long sleep. My confusion only rose when I noticed my surroundings. I didn't know this place; that I did know for sure.

I was lying in a round chamber, shaped like some kind of small meeting room or auditorium. The edges of the room stepped upward, like they were meant to be used for seating, and ornate columns decorated the walls. The ceiling was dome shaped, with a hole in the very centre to let light in. Everything in there was white—the floors, the steps, the walls, even the light coming in from outside. It felt...pure, but also empty. _I_ felt empty.

Where was I? Actually, _who_ was I? I wasn't sure...wait, no. There was a name. Spyro. My name was Spyro, the purple dragon. I grew up in a swamp. I was trained by the Guardians. I saved the world, alongside Cynder, my dearest friend. The knowledge was fuzzy, but it was there, gradually slotting together like pieces of a broken puzzle that someone was trying to reconstruct.

I looked down at my paws, and a frown crossed my face. My body...I looked like a dragon in his prime, but...wasn't I older than that? I had the distinct impression that I was supposed to be, but why? The memory wasn't quite there. I couldn't grasp it, and it only left me feeling more frustrated and confused. What was going on here? What was happening to me?

"Do not be afraid," a voice spoke up suddenly behind me, startling me.

It was a female voice, warm and soothing. Despite my flustered state I felt my tense body beginning to relax at the sound.

"The confusion you are experiencing is completely normal," the voice continued. "Don't worry, it will pass."

I rose shakily to my paws, turning to face the speaker, and my jaw dropped slightly when I caught sight of her. Standing before me was a stunning dragoness with shining while scales, silver wings and chest, golden horns that formed a circular crown shape above her head, and deep, beautiful blue eyes. She stood at least one and a half times my own height, and the sight of her stirred a mixed reaction within me. I felt intimidated by her physical stature and the incredible aura of power around her, but her voice and eyes were like that of a mother, calming my very soul and making me feel safer than I could ever remember.

"Who...who are you?" I asked hesitantly.

"My name is Alona," the dragoness replied, giving me a warm smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Spyro."

I frowned, cocking my head to the side in confusion. She knew me? "Uh...well, thank you...Wait. Alona. I've heard that name before..."

I fought to grab on to the elusive memory that felt like it was on the tip of my brain, but in the end I gave a growl of frustration when I couldn't manage it. It kept slipping away, taunting me almost.

"Do not fret," Alona told me, her voice comforting. "Disorientation is normal for a dragon in your situation, but yours is a special case as well. There is much to fill in from your life, but I promise that you will be whole again in time."

I looked up at Alona quizzically, meeting her smiling gaze, and I instinctually felt like I could trust her. I let out a sigh, and after that I glanced around at my surroundings again.

"Where am I?"

"You are standing in the gateway to the Realm of the Ancestors."

I blinked in surprise. "The Ancestors?"

She nodded, and suddenly it hit me: the reason her name was familiar. I _had_ heard it before, many, many years ago. A fragment of a memory from a time long past slipped into place: a room in the swamp Temple, books everywhere, and the Guardians. They were teaching me about dragon beliefs while I was recovering from my battle with Cynder.

My eyes went wide as I looked back up. "Alona. The Spirit of Light..."

She nodded once. "That is correct."

I stood frozen in shock for several long moments, but with a jolt I suddenly realized the full weight of what she'd just said. I was standing in front of an _Ancestor_! One of the deities of dragon faith was right here in front of me, and I was just gawking at her like some fool!

I dropped to the floor immediately, my head bowed low as a confused rush of wonder and fear shot through my being. Only a second later I jolted when I felt a touch on my cheek, however, and in disbelief I looked up to see Alona smiling down at me with amusement twinkling in her eyes, her paw lifting my head up.

"Please, Spyro, there is no need for that," she told me. "Especially not after all the help you've been to me and my colleagues in the past. No, in fact right now I'm here to help _you_."

I blinked, too stunned to think of words for a moment, but finally I managed to stammer out, "You...help me? What do you mean?"

"As the embodiment of Light, one of my duties is to guide new arrivals to this realm. Illuminate their path, if you will. That is why I'm here now."

I frowned again, tilting my head to the side.

"New arrivals? What are you..."

Almost immediately a cold feeling squeezed around my heart as realization struck me once again. A shiver ran through my entire body, accompanied by a feeling of panic.

"I...I'm dead, aren't I?"

Alona nodded again, her expression taking on a sympathetic air.

"Do not be upset," she told me in a soft, gentle voice. "You lived a long, fulfilled life in the Dragon Realms. This is simply the next stage of your existence."

I was silent, feeling numb as I grappled with this news. I didn't _feel_ dead. Every part of me felt whole and strong as I stood here in Alona's presence. I was in the best shape that I could ever remember! I could feel my heart beating in a strong, steady rhythm, vitality pulsing through my veins. There seemed to be no conceivable way that I could be dead!

"But...I don't understand," I muttered. "That doesn't seem possible. I feel perfectly fine."

Alona nodded, opening her mouth to answer me, but that was when the sound of a paw brushing against stone interrupted her. We both turned our gaze toward the noise, and I immediately gasped. My whole body had gone rigid with surprise as I watched a very familiar dragon stepping out of...well, _nothing_. His body seemed to just phase into existence as he strode forward, as though he was passing through some invisible portal.

"Chronicler," Alone said, surprise evident in her voice as well. "This is most unexpected. You don't normally forsake your library lightly."

She spoke so casually, but I myself was beyond shocked. That...he looked like...but how could that be? Ignitus wasn't _teal!_ And why was he dressed like the Chronicler? Why had Alona used that title to address him? I...just...

 _What?_

"Forgive me, Lady Aona," the dragon that looked like Ignitus said quickly, giving a low bow, and my chest clenched when I heard his voice—that familiar, wise, comforting voice. "I know it is unorthodox, but when I saw Spyro's name appear in the Book of the Dead..."

He trailed off, straightening and turning to face me. My eyes locked on to his and a weak gasp left me. They had changed colour too, but everything else about them...There was no way they could belong to anyone else.

"Ignitus...?"

A gentle smile turned up the edges of his muzzle, a fond glimmer appearing in his eyes, and he nodded. I stood frozen in confusion and shock as he padded toward me, stopping only a step away and taking a moment to look me over. I did the same, quickly taking in his new attire and colouring before I met his gaze again, the two of us nearly eye to eye.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips, and after that he surprised me by stepping forward again and catching me in an embrace with his forepaws. For a second I was frozen by uncertainty, but then the reality of what was happening finally hit me and I returned his hold with a fierce one of my own. A laugh broke free from my jaws, and I felt my eyes beginning to mist over as a mix of relief and joy surged up inside of me.

"You're here!" I gasped. "It's really you!"

Ignitus laughed again before disengaging from our hug, holding me out at arm's length and nodding his head. He was smiling broadly, joy and pride radiating from his expression. It seemed like so long since the last time I had seen him smiling like that.

"Indeed, it's me. I've missed you, young dragon. It has been too long since we last spoke."

I was helpless to do anything other than stare at him in disbelief as I gave another weak laugh. This was so surreal! After losing him in the Belt of Fire...I didn't think I would ever see him again!

"How?" I asked. "I don't understand. I thought you were dead!"

Oddly, Ignitus's reaction was to cock his head at me in confusion.

"Dead?" he asked. "But..." Frowning, he turned his gaze on Alona. "His memories are still missing?"

"What?" I said before Alona could reply. "I don't...What are you talking about?"

"Oh, forgive me," Ignitus said quickly, giving me reassuring smile. "I thought that you would remember the last time you visited me at the White Isle by now, but it would seem that I was a bit presumptuous. Not to worry, my friend. All will be well."

I was silent for another few seconds, trying and failing to sort out what I'd been told. Last time I visited? What did that mean? I had only been to the White Isle once, hadn't I? Ignitus hadn't been there then. That was well before he'd been lost in the Belt of Fire...

"I don't understand," I muttered, my gaze drifting off distantly as a frown creased my features. "Ignitus, what's happening?"

"There is no reason for alarm, Spyro," Alona spoke up in a soothing tone, resting one of her large forepaws on my shoulder. "This is what I was trying to get to when I said I was here to help. You are still suffering from the after-effects of the amnesia that dominated most of your life."

I faltered, looking up at her in surprise, but just at that moment several more broken fragments of memories fell into place in my mind. Most prominently was a slightly distorted image of myself, Cynder, Sparx and the Guardians gathered in a large study along with a mole and a red dragoness.

That was right. Amnesia. I had...what was it...anterograde amnesia. Yes, that sounded right. I had been unable to form any new memories since after the fight with Malefor. The strain of the battle, and repairing the world...it had broken me. And now...

A cold, hollow pit opened up in my chest. When I spoke, my voice was faint.

"So...everything that happened in my life...it's all gone? I don't have anything left from it?"

I looked up quickly, my eyes darting between Ignitus and Alona, and my heart plunged when I saw the sympathetic looks they were giving me. My chest felt tight, and I could barely take in a breath of air.

"Am I really dead?" I asked, my eyes locking onto Ignitus. "My life...it's actually over?"

"I'm afraid so," he nodded apologetically.

"It's alright if you feel upset," Alona said, her paw still resting on my shoulder. "That is a perfectly normal reaction for a dragon in your position."

I couldn't come up with any words to reply with for what felt like ages. This was all too much to take in at once! So many thoughts and feelings were crashing around in my head, it was enough to make me dizzy. One feeling did stand out above all the others, though: Loss.

"So, that's really it," I said quietly. "My life has ended, and I don't have any memories left from it. It's all _gone_. I just...I feel so empty. My whole life just feels...meaningless."

I jumped when I felt something against my back. Looking up, I saw that Alona was now sitting directly beside me with her wing resting over me like a blanket. The look in her eyes was one of sympathy, but also of reassurance.

"That is not true, child. Your life was a blessed one, filled with people who loved you and defined by acts of courage that inspired thousands. However, it was also an unfairly harsh one, what with its struggles like the war that you were thrust into at such a young age, and the amnesia that claimed the remainder of your years. I am sorry for the trials that you suffered, Spyro. Truly I am. After the service you did for our world, you deserved far better."

I didn't know what to say in response to that. I was grateful for her words of comfort, but they didn't soothe the empty feeling in my soul. I had missed so much. My past was nothing more than a void, and as much as I wanted to believe what Alona said about the impact my life had apparently had, without being able to look back on it myself that was simply impossible.

"That is one of the reasons I'm here now, however," she continued, causing me to look up at her quickly. "I can make things right."

I faltered, my eyes widening. Make things right? She...was she saying what I thought she was?

"What..." I said quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper. "What do you mean?"

"Your memories," she replied with a large smile forming on her lips. "It's time that they were returned to you."

I gasped, shock sending me completely reeling. I hadn't heard that correctly, had I? My memories...Could I really have them all back? The empty gap in my mind seemed so massive, spanning an untold number of years! It almost seemed impossible that anything could ever fill it!

"Really?"

Alona nodded. "Our realm is one of healing. Your worldly scars belong in the past, not here."

I had no words to reply with this time. All I could do was sit there in numb silence, looking back and forth between Alona and Ignitus with large, disbelieving eyes. They both smiled warmly back at me, and slowly a feeling of hope and excitement began to bloom in my chest.

"The process is already beginning," Alona continued. "Even now small pieces are resurfacing. Given enough time all of your memories would eventually return to you on their own, but there is no reason to leave things to their own pace when we can help the process along. It's the least that I can do to repay you for your heroic deeds."

"I..." I stammered breathlessly. "This...I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, then. Simply relax, and before you know it..."

Alona trailed off, her head tilting inquisitively, and I frowned in confusion. Following her gaze, I saw that she was looking at one of the satchels hanging off of Ignitus's back.

"Ignitus," she said curiously, "is that Spyro's book that you're carrying with you?"

She pointed with a talon at the purple covered, gold trimmed tome that was resting in his left pouch. Quickly glancing back at it, Ignitus nodded his head. A knowing glint appeared in his eyes when he looked back up to meet Alona's gaze.

"Indeed it is," he replied. "I thought that it might be of benefit."

"Wonderful!" Alona exclaimed. "That will speed the process along tremendously. Worry not, child. Your mind will be restored in no time at all!"

I watched with a mixture of confusion and fascination as Alona gave a simple flick with her forepaw and my book floated over to her without any delay. It promptly angled itself toward me at an easy reading height and opened itself to one of the pages quite near to its beginning. As I scanned over the runes written inside, an image formed inside of my head of myself floating in the air above the world's core, my power radiating out of me in a blinding aura as I pulled the world's pieces back together.

My last memory.

Alona and Ignitus leaned in by my sides, peering down at the open pages over my shoulders.

"Now," Alona declared eagerly, "let us begin..."

The page turned, and without realizing it I leaned in closer, my breath held as a new image began to form in my mind.

It was such an unbelievably strange feeling, seeing myself from an outsider's perspective as events from my life played out before my eyes. It all seemed so detached at first, and for a second I wasn't certain if I could even believe if what I was seeing was actually my past, but that was when the flood of emotions and sensations struck me full force, making me stagger and almost fall. I wasn't just seeing the events taking place anymore. I was feeling them. I was _living_ them.

Fear was the first thing I was truly aware of. Overwhelming, disoriented fear as my functioning memory was cut down to mere moments at a time. This...I didn't even know how to process it! What was happening? I couldn't keep track of a single thing! This was almost unbearable!

Still, through it all there was a sense of awe as well as I watched Cynder work tirelessly to bring me home to Warfang safely and care for me day after day after that. I was such a broken, panicky, confused mess, but she was at my side for every moment of it. How was she able to do it?

The pages continued turning, each one presenting a new day of my life, and with every one that passed I could feel a tiny piece of myself get put back in its proper place. It was...I didn't know how I was supposed to react. It should probably have been an amazing feeling to have these long-lost moments returned, and there _were_ wonderful scenes to behold mixed into the mess, like the celebration thrown in Warfang in honour of Malefor's defeat, and especially the moment when Cynder was officially absolved of all crimes committed by the Terror of the Skies—The look of liberation she'd had in her eyes was just incredible to see!—but all of it was drowned out by that horrible, suffocating guilt of watching Cynder and Sparx struggling to look after me after days, and weeks, and _months_ of the same torturous routine without end...

I couldn't bear it. Just seeing the misery that my condition was inflicting on them, even through the smiles that they put on to try and make me feel better...It was horrible! I shut my eyes tight and turned away, teeth and claws clenched. Why did they have to be burdened with my problem? It wasn't fair! It was _wrong_! This wasn't all there was, was there? Was _this_ my life? I could never forgive myself for doing that to them if it was!

"I can't—" I gasped shakily. "I can't watch any more!"

I jumped when I felt Alona's wing on my back again. Looking up at her quickly, I saw her offering a gentle, reassuring smile.

"It's alright," she said. "I know it's overwhelming, but you'll be glad to have seen this afterward."

"How? How could anyone even manage to live like that? How could _they_ stand to live with that?"

"Have faith," Alona urged me, rubbing my back soothingly. "It gets better."

I wasn't sure I could believe her. It seemed like just one giant nightmare, but Ignitus nodded reassuringly when I looked at him, and with a hesitant breath I focused on the book again. I braced myself, fearing what was to come.

I winced when the images that formed in my mind showed the same struggles continuing unchanged, but there was one thing I noticed that had been lost on me before, and that was the sheer dedication of Cynder and Sparx as they guided me through my terrifyingly confusing days, step by disoriented step. My breath caught in my chest, pure amazement filling me. It was obvious how hard it was on them, but they never gave up on me. They stayed by my side through it all, and the gratitude I felt was staggering, swelling in my chest until it felt like it would burst.

Then, finally: the turning point. The day Trill had the breakthrough that would change my life forever, and the day my treatment began. My eyes widened, my breath stolen away at the images and sensations that rushed past faster and faster as the crippling fear was gradually replaced by something new. There were so many! Too many for me to possibly count, flying past so rapidly that it made me dizzy and yet not a single one was lost. Piece by piece my life was slotted back together like a puzzle, and with each one came a whole host of emotions.

It was like a miracle playing out before my eyes. Trill's medicine...it was like it was giving me life itself! It started slowly at first, but as the periods of clarity grew longer and longer my life took an upwards turn that I had never seen coming.

I couldn't stop the laugh that broke free from my jaws when I watched Cynder and me taking the first gradual steps toward a life together. I saw the home that the Guardians provided to us, the Academy and the friends that we began making there, and I felt my heart flutter in my chest when mine and Cynder's friendship started turning into something so much more.

I saw Sparx return to the swamp to begin his own family. I saw my classes in the Academy, and felt both the frustration and the triumph that came with my experiences there. I saw mine and Cynder's first kiss, felt my heart stop cold when I witnessed the funerals for my parents, then felt it soaring higher than ever when my relationship with Cynder grew from a budding romance to a devoted courtship, right up to our first night together.

My head was reeling, and I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to respond. It was so vivid! So real! It really was like I was living these moments all over again, and I could feel my broken mind piecing itself back together with every second that passed. It wasn't long before tears filled my eyes as the rush of emotions became too much for me to take, joy and sorrow, regret and hope all mixing together into an impossible blend of healing that left me laughing and sobbing all at once.

I recalled the first official acts of my friends, the new Guardians, and I felt the sting of watching each of my former mentors being claimed by time. The feeling of excitement and joy was indescribable on the day that my daughter hatched, and I felt my heart shatter into pieces on the day that Cynder died, the same as Sparx before her. The arguments. The moments of laughter. The travels to foreign lands and the wonder I felt upon waking up in fantastic, exotic cities with Cynder by my side. The loneliness of living without her, but also the devoted companionship of all of my friends. The best part, by far, was being able to finally, _finally_ get the experience of watching my child grow from a hatchling into a wonderful dragoness with a family all of her own. It...I just...there were no words to describe the feeling of sheer pride that it brought me! Every single memory brought fresh laughter to my lips and tears to my eyes. I just couldn't handle it all! It was beyond overwhelming, and I loved it!

It felt never ending, and I didn't want it to stop. Every single memory that fell back into place fuelled a sense of completion that I had never known in life: a feeling of wholeness and certainty in who I was, and a feeling of personal pride. Pride in the life I had lived. Pride in my actions, and the other lives that I had touched along the way without even realizing it.

I would never need to question everything happening around me ever again. I would never have to live in fear of the unknown that I had been drowning in for so long, or worse, the pain of knowing that everything I experienced would be stolen away from me before the day was up. The events that I had thought I had lost forever were all back to me now. Every obstacle. Every triumph. Every precious moment.

My life. It was all there.

Finally, the inevitable flow of time caught up with me. I watched with a grim feeling of understanding and acceptance as my medicine started having less and less effect, and the damage I'd suffered to my magical core began to manifest as an inescapable weariness that dogged my every step and a deep, persistent ache in my chest. Then one night it happened. The pain in my chest sharpened until breathing was all but impossible. I was aware of darkness, and of fear when I found myself alone in a place I didn't recognize, and slowly it faded away into a deep, silent void.

My life had ended, but now I knew that my family and legacy would live on.

Now, I would never forget them again.

Tears were pouring down my face, and as the last page of my book flipped past and the cover shut I sagged under the staggering weight of my emotion. My paw was held tightly over my mouth as I laughed and sobbed at the same time, the flood of memories leaving my composure utterly shattered. It was amazing. It was the greatest gift I could ever receive, but it was also far beyond my strength to handle. I would have collapsed to the floor if it weren't for the supportive wings of Alona and Ignitus that caught me, wrapping me in comfort and warmth.

"That's it, young dragon," Ignitus whispered, his forepaw rising to gently rub my shoulder and hold me close. "Don't hold it in. Two centuries' worth of emotion is a lot to take all at once."

I tried to laugh, but it just came out as a broken cough and I gave up after that. There was no strength left in my body, and I sagged heavily into Ignitus's and Alona's caring embrace as I sobbed uncontrollably. I had never, _never_ felt like this before! It wasn't pain. It was _peace_. It was something I had craved for so long, and now, finally, after over two hundred years of life I had it. I had the surety of just _knowing_.

"Th...thank y-you," I managed to gasp. "Thank you. Thank you s-so much. I...I can't..."

"Shh," Alona whispered, and I relaxed instinctually when I felt her snout brush against my neck, so much like a protective mother. "We know. You don't have to say anything, child. This has been long overdue, and we are both simply happy that you can finally come to know the peace that you've deserved for so long."

I choked back another sob, nodding mutely. For several long minutes after that I simply gave in to this wonderful, unfamiliar sensation of wholeness. It was strange, in a way. Each day in my life still felt distinct, separated from the next by the memory loss that reset me back to square one every morning, but at the same time each one fit into a cohesive whole that I had never been able to appreciate before.

The peace that this feeling brought me...I just couldn't say it enough. The struggle was finally _over_. The stress. The torment. The loss. It was all behind me, and that was such an enormous relief that I just couldn't believe it.

Eventually, after Ancestors knew how long, I lifted my head and brought a shaky forepaw up to wipe at my eyes. I felt _drained_ , but I still had an enormous smile covering my face when I looked up to meet Alona's and Ignitus's gazes.

"Really, thank you," I told them, my voice slightly ragged still. I blinked away a couple more tears, trying to focus my blurry vision on the other dragons' warm expressions. "I really can't express how much this means to me. I..."

That was all that I could come up with. I literally _couldn't_ express what I was feeling, and with a weak chuckle I lowered my head and wiped at my eyes again. Alona also chuckled quietly and lifted my chin to face her again with a forepaw, her motherly smile warming my heart. I felt a sudden, powerful urge to hug her with all of my strength, but I restrained myself—barely. Not that it mattered; she pulled me into a warm embrace by her own volition, wrapping me up in her enormous wings.

"Cherish the life you have lived, Spyro," she told me in a soft voice. "You brought nothing but good to the world and the people around you. The other Ancestors and I are very proud of what you've accomplished."

My smile spread wider, to the point that it was almost painful, and I simply nodded. The lump in my throat had grown too large for me to speak at this point, and I was on the verge of breaking down again. Ignitus squeezed my shoulders tighter with his wing once Alona released me, and the smile that spread across his face spoke up such happiness and pride...I had no words anymore. I smiled back at him. It was all that I could do. I just hoped that I would get more opportunities to talk to him after this, because there was _so much_ that I wanted to talk to him about now.

"This was long overdue," he said as he pulled me into a hug of his own. "I only wish I could have brought you to this point sooner."

"You tried," I managed to reply—I could remember that distinctly now; the multiple visits Cynder and I had made to his library in the hopes that he had found some solution to my problems.

"Well, I'm glad it all worked out in the end."

I smiled back at him, no more words coming to me. For a brief moment after that no one moved, but at length Alona broke the pause.

"Now then," she spoke up, and when I looked back up at her I faltered slightly at the knowing grin she bore. "I believe there is still one more thing that's missing before you can truly be called whole once more."

I frowned, looking at Ignitus for clarification, but he just smiled back at me with that same knowing look. That was when I heard a sound, though, like the soft click of claws against the marble floor, and Alona and Ignitus both retracted their wings to turn toward the source. Curious, I followed suit and found myself facing the only doorway out of the chamber. It wasn't empty, I realized with a slight start. There was a figure standing there, tall and slender, and—

I froze, my breath catching the instant I recognized her.

Could...could that...could it really be?

"Cynder..."

She...I...I couldn't believe what I was seeing! It was her! She was standing right there, radiant and proud, backlit by the pure white light that shone in from the entranceway behind her. She was a vision, a sight of pure beauty, and that beauty was only accentuated by the smile of pure joy that graced her muzzle. Her eyes were streaming much like mine had been mere moments ago, her breath quivering from barely restrained sobs, and in that moment she was the most beautiful sight I had ever laid eyes on. This...it was like something out of a dream!

"Hey, handsome," she said with a weak laugh, and my legs almost gave out on me. That voice. Oh, _Ancestors_ , I had missed it so much! It was like pure music, and I just wanted to listen to it forever.

Another shaking sob broke from my jaws, a fresh flow of tears trailing down my cheeks. I took a trembling step toward her, barely managing to keep from falling over, and at the same time she crossed the rest of the distance between us. For a long moment after that I couldn't bring myself to do anything more than stare at her, taking in her stunningly youthful and pure appearance. That smile, and the way her eyes shone like I had never seen before left me completely robbed of breath. I opened my mouth to say something, but absolutely nothing came out.

Slowly, almost afraid that this was all just a dream, I reached up toward her. My paw hovered over her cheek for a moment, shaking in anxious anticipation, and when it finally made contact a tremor went through my entire being. Her eyes slid closed, a long, blissful sigh leaking from her nostrils, and she leaned into my paw and grasped it with her own. My heart pounded harder than it had in over a hundred years. I'd forgotten what the feeling of her warm scales against mine was like, but now it all came rushing back to me and it was better than I ever dared to dream.

I could feel my strength breaking again. My tears couldn't be restrained any longer, and I felt my whole body beginning to tremble. Cynder was in the exact same state when she opened her eyes again to look at me, and just like that we had both leaned forward and ensnared each other in a fierce embrace. Cynder pressed her head into the crook of my neck, a sob of pure happiness shaking her form, and I covered her completely with my wings and rested my chin over her brow. The feeling was more than I could ever describe, and I lost myself in the warmth of her presence and her scent washing over me. This on its own was paradise, and I could have stayed like that for all of eternity with her.

"I m-missed you so much," she gasped, and I let out a shaky laugh of delight at hearing her amazing voice again. "Oh, Spyro, I'm so, _so_ happy to see you!"

I couldn't answer, my voice blocked by the lump in my throat. Instead I pulled her tighter against my chest with my wings, shutting my eyes and savouring every sweet second of this reunion. I was on the verge of sobbing with every shaking breath I took, but the smile on my face had never been bigger. Turning my head, I laid a gentle kiss above her brow—The first one in over a century! By the Ancestors!—but then before I knew it she had shifted so that our muzzles were pressed tightly together. I was stunned at first, but immediately after I felt my heart soaring higher than the clouds.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was real. It just felt too amazing to believe, but it was really happening. We were together again!

For a minute after that we were both silent, revelling in each other's presence after so long apart, but as time ticked by my pulse began to race faster and faster. This moment...it was absolute perfection! My chest was filled to bursting with joy and excitement beyond all comparison, and I just couldn't hold it inside any longer. Seeing Cynder's brilliant smile and her amazing emerald eyes, shining with joyful tears and staring straight back into mine like a vision from my dreams...it was something I had needed more than I'd ever imagined. Now that she was really here, I had to celebrate! I had so many things to tell her, so many questions to ask, so many things that I wanted to do now that I finally had her at my side again! I couldn't just sit here silently!

I had to speak. I had to say _something_ to her, something to convey this flood of emotions that was rushing through my soul.

In the end, I only needed two words.

"I remember."

* * *

 **(Update: 2017-04-06)**

 **Man, this was a lot of work, but here's the rewritten epilogue of One Day. ^^ One thing I've found is that it's very hard for me to go back and rework something that I've already 'completed'. My mind keeps trying to default back to what it already put together the first time around. Regardless, I am much happier with the final result this time around and I feel like it brings back much of the emotional impact that was cut short in the previous version. I hope you readers agree. :)**

 **A massive thank you to everyone for their feedback on critiques on the previous epilogue. While it was a bit of a tough pill to swallow to see that the epilogue's reception wasn't quite living up to the hype I'd had for it in my own mind, I'm very grateful for it anyway because without it I would have still been stuck feeling like something was missing from it but not being able to figure out what it was.**

 **If you have any feedback on this version of the ending, I'm definitely eager to hear it. Just keep in mind that this most likely going to be the final version of this submission, so any critiques may not be reflected here.**

 **Keep an eye out for the upcoming one-shot spin-off that will contain the additional scenes from Cynder's perspective that I mentioned. I'd say I have about half of the work for it done. No promises on a date, but I hope to have it ready soon (ish). Thanks to everyone for their suggestions on what they would like to see. :)**

 **Until next time!**

* * *

 **(Original A/N):**

 **The End!**

 **I'm just going to say, I can't believe how quickly these past few weeks have gone by. It feels like almost no time at all since I started posting this story, and already it's reached its conclusion. It's crazy.**

 **I really hope you enjoyed this ending. I know a lot of it is probably cliche, but I honestly don't really care. I'm a sucker for happy endings, no matter how rough I am on the characters during the course of the story, and for another thing I'm not of the strict belief that cliches are something to be avoided. Originality is obviously a great thing to strive for, but if there's something you want to have in your story and you feel like it works well and you can pull it off then I don't think it matters if it's been done many times before. :)**

 **I'm very eager to hear people's final thoughts on this story. The response it's received so far has absolutely blown me away, and I'm so humbled and flattered by the reviews that have been left so far. This story started off simply as a way to escape a bit of a rut and have some fun by trying something new. It wasn't meant to be something particularly impactful, but at the same time it was something I hoped people could get emotionally invested in. Judging by the comments so far I feel like I've succeeded at that, so thank you all so very much. This has been an extremely enjoyable writing experience for me so I can't say that enough. ^^**

 **Now, one final thing I want to touch on is something a couple of reviewers brought up mainly in chapter 3, and that's the fact that Cynder's perspective was completely absent after chapter 2. This was an intentional decision, since this story was always meant to be about Spyro and how _he_ copes with a condition like this, while Cynder's perspective was just a necessity at the beginning to make the events transpiring coherent in any way. That said, I do also think that seeing some of Cynder's experiences later on in her life with Spyro could be fun, so I pose this question:**

 **Is there a particular scene from chapter 3 onward that you readers would enjoy seeing retold from Cynder's point of view? It doesn't have to be a scene strictly from this story either, but rather any moment from their life that's implied in the time gaps too. If there's enough of a consensus that this is something people would enjoy then I'll write a bonus chapter for this story containing one or two scenes from Cynder's life as she deals with Spyro's amnesia alongside him. Let me know with a review or PM if this is something you would like to see, and I might make it happen. :)**

 **That's all I have for now. Thank you again to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story.**

 **Until next time...**


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